40 Days of Embracing Uncertainty - Day 25 (for Wednesday, March 25)

This topic seems like a repeat of an earlier devotion (Day 5) where I talked about the importance of children and their role in the kingdom of God.  Certainly this is a continuation of that conversation – children have such an important place in the kingdom of God.  Young people can often see things that older adults cannot even envision.  We used to be able to use our imaginations (see Peter Pan) and our creativity in positively amazing ways.  But, as we age, we lose a bit of that imagination and creativity. 

What’s more, we sometimes (I say it gently because it’s true – we sometimes do this) we ignore the vision that the youth share with us.  We cannot see those same possibilities. 

I asked my grandson Wyatt a question the other day.  We were in FaceTime mode and I wanted to know how it was going – being home every day from school.  Wyatt didn’t miss a beat – “It’s like it’s the weekend – every day.”  Young people understand life and they get it.  Perhaps they don’t have all the wisdom or experience that older adults possess, but they give our world a fresh look at what life is like through another set of eyes.  I believe it’s important to listen for what we all might learn from our young people. 

I grew up during a time when young people were a little different than they are today.  We had distractions, yes, but today’s distractions seem more, how do I say it – distracting!  Computer apps, iPhones, iPads, virtual reality games, and other gadgets seem to interrupt the creative flow that young people have to share.  

This isn’t meant to be one of those “back in my day” comments, but I know we were challenged by our parents (okay, we were ordered) to use our creativity outside and we did.  We performed plays and skits.  We imagined we were sports heroes of the day.  We played outdoor games and made up our own rules as we go along.  When we couldn’t be outside, we had black and white television with three stations (on a good day) for our daily entertainment.  It was a treat to have the 64 count box of Crayola crayons to draw something from our imagination.

Young people today also have these moments, I’m certain.  Their creative energy and imagination are evident.  And even if we older folks aren’t able to see it, parents and teachers see it all the time.  It seems to me when these things are balanced, young people have a great deal of creative energy and imagination to share!

So, yes, as Jesus calls the young children forth – let the children share for they are the children of the Kingdom!   Let’s pay closer attention to what they have to say to us!