Lessons from a Four Year Old

Andrew's four, and a lot of things come with being four. There are occasional fits, smart alec remarks here and there (didn't realize that happens at four and not fourteen), stomping of feet, whining . . . but something else also comes with being four . . . childlike faith.

When Andrew asks "God and Jesus" . . . he always prays to "God and Jesus" . . . try explaining The Trinity to a four year old . . . anyway, when he prays, he believes that God is listening plain and simple, and he trusts that God is on the job.

He prays for rain without fail every single day. His prayers for rain are long and detailed. "Dear God and Jesus, Thank you for all the rain we've had, and please send more rain for the plants, and the dirt, and the trees, and the leaves on the trees, and the beautiful flowers, and the leaves on the flowers, and the roots, and the roses, and the animals, and the grass . . . " It last for quite a while, but when he's done, he firmly believes it's going to rain. And you know, since he's started praying for rain, we've had more rain than we've had in the whole previous year. Now, I'm not saying that it's Andrew in particular that's brought the rain and that he has some special connection to God that no one else has. My point is the childlike faith that accompanies the prayer . . . the belief and trust that cannot be changed.

The past couple of days Andrew's also been breaking out in hives. Through it all he's insisted that "Jesus will fix his bumps", and so while I'm running around frantically trying to find some Benadryl that hasn't expired and racking my brain trying to figure out what's causing the hives, my four year old son is not in the least bit concerned about the itchy bumps spreading over his body. I'm not saying that he doesn't need medicine or that a trip to the doctor isn't warranted (we're actually going in a little while), but I'm once again taken aback at the way that a four year old seems to have a better grasp on trusting God than the older and wiser adults in his life.

While rushing around looking for said Benadryl the other night, a thought (which I'm 100% sure was from God) flashed through my mind, "This is what childlike faith is." Maybe I'm dense. Maybe everyone else grasped this years ago, but again, God used my four year old to show me something so simple yet so profound. When I pray, do I really trust God? Not necessarily to do exactly what I want, but simply that He loves me and will certainly do what's best for me? Do I believe that He hears my prayers for rain, both literally and figuratively?

God calls us to come as little children with a childlike faith. He does not call to be childish, but somewhere along the way, I think we've confused the two. We come stomping our feet and insisting on our way regardless of the consequences of getting what we think we want or need at the moment. But Jesus wants us to come trusting and letting Him touch us with His love, His mercy, His peace, and His grace. He wants us to come as a little child.

Mark 10:13-15
¹³ Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”