At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18:1-5
“It always grieves me to contemplate the initiation of children into the ways of life, when they are scarcely more than infants; it checks there confidence and simplicity, two of the best qualities that heaven gives them, and demands that they share our sorrrows before they are capable of entering into our enjoyments.”
Charles Dickens in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 100.
Got to meet Evangelene last night and hold her. She slept peacefully in my arms and lap the entire time. That was a lesson for me in itself. She can enter into rest because God has everything sorted.
Then I reflected on today’s Scripture and realized that God wants each of us to avoid the worldly and cultural initiation that fosters worry and fretting and remain like children our entire lives.
He wants us to retain what Dickens describes as the “confidence and simplicity” given to us from heaven. Then as I reflected on generosity this though surfaced clearly.
We can only be generous on all times and on all occasions when we don’t allow the world to check our confidence and simplicity which is rooted in our trust in the goodness of God.
Grandpa’s sweet little “angel” as I plan to call her (as the word is in the heart of her name evANGELene) taught me this whilst I was holding her peacefully. It was a sweet moment.