A CHILDLIKE ATTITUDE

A Childlike Attitude

A lesson I've learned from my 3-year old grandson.

Some things we can learn and adopt in our own life are to gain a childlike attitude. That is exactly what God wants us to have, a childlike, grateful, submissive and faithful heart.

While I was talking to my 3-year old grandson Miguel the other day, we walked by my vintage car which I own since the early eighties. He was visiting with his parents and sister from Zambia. They all had come to attend the wedding of my youngest daughter Diana.

While walking by the car, Miguel said something unexpected. While holding up his little hands he said, “Barbas, nice car".

It's very surprising that a 3-year old saw the beauty of his grand-father's car.

The very next day, Miguel watched me cleaning out the swimming pools' waterfall and while he was watching he said, “That is a beautiful waterfall.” With time, some slime gathers in the small reservoir along the swimming pool, which I have to clean and while doing so greenish algae disintegrates in the running water down the cladding stones. All I see is this dirty green stuff stain the clear water; he saw a beautiful waterfall.

While being a grandparent, and a proud one at that, this quote by David Suzki seems to fit: “One of the joys of being a grandparent is getting to see the world again through the eyes of a child.”

Being around my little 3-year-old grandson, brought back the realization about the simple things in life. I am amazed by his positive outlook toward life. The more I was around him the more I understand why God encourages us to become as a little child and to have a child-like attitude.

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3)

Pay attention, we are not to be childish, but rather childlike, with humble and sincere hearts.

It is difficult, but healthy, to identify with 'children' - weak and dependant people with no status or influence.

God wants us to have a childlike, grateful, submissive and faithful heart. As we grow older, we have a tendency to become angry, cynical and ungrateful. While a child has yet to be touched by the concerns of the world. What are the attributes of a child that we can learn from and how?

A child is innocent. A child is trusting. A child believes without complication. A child is humbled. A child is content in the little things. A child has enormous faith. A child is awed by majestic splendor. Even with dirty greenish water. A child takes to heart God’s Word in all its simplicity.

Here are some things we can learn and adopt in our own life to gain a childlike attitude.

1. Trust

Children trust their parents completely. God also wants us to trust and rely on Him in the same way. When Camille (Miguel's mom) is gone from the room even for a few minutes, he will stop and ask, “Where did mommy go?” He loves, needs, and trusts his mom so much that he wants her presence at all times. We should have that same attitude toward God. Our minds should always be on God, all day long because we trust and need Him that much .

2. Excitement

Kids can get excited about anything. Miguel was excited just watching me pour out that dirty greenish algae, because he saw it as a beautiful waterfall. Every activity with him is a new adventure, a new opportunity to explore, a new fun and interesting challenge. We to should approach things in life the same way. Meeting new challenges with excitement! Look at all the positives instead of seeing all the negatives.

3. Short memory

During the week where the whole family was on holiday on the coast, I cannot but realize how amazing a child can go from tears to being happy. Kids do not analyze past experiences in detail like we do as adults. They can be angry with the parent one minute, the next minute kissing them with all the love they can give. They do not harbor anger or resentment as we do, because they have a short memory. We as adults need to develop a short memory of all the negatives wrongs that have happened to us. We should learn to “let it go” just live like our children do. Life is too short to let past pains, betrayals and disappointments linger and fester in our minds.

4. Appreciation

My little grandson has learned two very important words: “thank you.” He also has learned how to express love and appreciation not only to his parents but to all the family. One day while I was sitting outside on the verandah, he looked at me and said, “I love you bobo (grand-parent)". I was so touched that it brought me tears. Just to think how precious is that my 3-year old grand-son said such an awesome thing to me. We should all have a heart of appreciation. Express appreciation every day to your family, to others, and especially to God. It makes a huge difference in your mind. You cannot have hate and appreciation at the same time in your mind. They just cannot exist together!

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God."(1 John 3:1)

As believers, our self-worth is based on the fact that God loves us and calls us His children. We are His children now, not just sometime in the distant future.

Ask God to give you a childlike attitude.

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