with the enthusiasm of children

Think about the last time you got together with a good friend. At first you might exchange a polite hug, but maybe not, and then you just continue on the same vein. A nonchalant conversation, both of you perhaps distracted by the things around you… As they talk you’re too concerned about what you’re going to next to really absorb what’s being said.

Now compare this with the last interaction you had with a child. Okay, strike the image of the screaming kid on the airplane or the cranky kid at the grocery store – you’d be upset too if you were forced into one of those wretched shopping cart seats and wouldn’t you, at being on an airplane, scream if you knew you could get away with it? Anyway, here’s what brought this all on…

I babysat for some friends of mine last night. Cute kids, about 1 & 3 I think. To start with, they were anxiously waiting for me to arrive. And, when I walked in the door the little girl was jumping up and down and nothing but smiles. The older brother was very excited too and immediately pulled me around the house to show me the things he had done during the day and telling me all the things he was looking forward to doing while I was there.

What ever happened to this kind of enthusiasm? To letting yourself be so overwhelmed by excitement, happiness, joy - that you let it really show? When did we start taking things for granted?

Okay, so imagine getting together with that friend of yours again. Only this time they greet you like the kids greeted me. You walk in the door of Peet’s Coffee – yes, yes, I know you’d probably be meeting at Starbuck, but as long as we’re imagining things, let’s go little wild. :) Okay, so you walk in the door and they jump up from the table (they arrived early just incase you did and they could have a little more time with you) and grinning madly then rush over to you and give you the greatest bear hug. Then they excitedly pull you to the table and start telling you about everything that they can think of. When you have something to say, they intently listen, obviously valuing it and taking it to heart.

How differently would you react in one situation from the other. In one case you assume the feelings of your friend, while in the other you know that you’re loved and appreciated – you can see the joy on their face.

I’m not thinking that we should let all our emotions run amok – there are some that should definitely be kept in check: anger, lust, resentment…and unless we want to end up with our arms uncomfortably crossed over our chest and strapped to our backs, we might want to tone down our excitement a little. There are some things that only kids can get away with. But even just little changes could make such a difference. Greeting someone with a hug instead of just a hello, smiling and meaning it, not looking away when listening or thinking about anything other than what’s being said. Anyway…

…back to those kids. All I could think of last night was how we’ve been told to “change and become more like little children.” And after spending an evening with two, I realize that I’ve got a long ways to go. I want to be pleasing and bring joy to God the way those kids did to me. But when was the last time that I was excited to get out of bed early to read. Or that I wanted to get up extra early to just have a little more time with Him? I can’t even remember the last time I was focused enough to read without in the back of my mind deciding what to wear that day. Obviously something needs to be different.

And I think I need to start with a little enthusiasm.

So I’m excited. I’m already on the edge of my seat, waiting to see how see things end up as I try to remember to live a little more like a child.