Except as ye become like little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven…. Matthew 18:3
One of the greatest joys in my life is being a grandmother (Nonna) to my eight grandchildren who range in ages from 11 months to eight years of age. They are a constant reminder to me of God’s faithfulness and His enduring love throughout the generations. I treasure the time spent with them and the things that they teach me! There is nothing like the wonder of childhood or the freshness of their approach to life to lift you out of the winter doldrums. Little ones are not jaded or cynical and sarcasm is not part of their vocabulary or a tool that they use upon themselves or others. They might be rambunctious and disobedient, at times, but their zest for life is contagious. Little children lack artifice and have little or no pretension. What you see is exactly what you get! Unlike many of the adults I know (myself included), children do not put on one face for the world and wear a completely difference face in the mirror at home.
One sweet lesson that has stayed with me involved my then three-year-old grandson. He and his family had recently experienced the loss of their beloved pet, a boxer named Chief. Chief was guard dog, playmate, best friend, and constant shadow for my three grandchildren and their parents. His loss was deeply felt and all of the members of the household from the youngest to the oldest were grieving. Many tears had been shed. My son and his wife had used Chief’s loss as a teaching time to talk about death and what it means for us as Christians. They had tried to answer their children’s many questions as best they could.
My grandson returned from a walk in the neighborhood a couple of days after Chief died and burst through the door talking about the fact that “heaven was just around the corner.” I looked quizzically at the excited little boy while he explained that he had seen Chief just around the corner in a beautiful place that was heaven. He was so sure of what he had seen that it brought tears to my eyes. In truth it was the home of a friend of mine, a master gardener, whose gorgeous yard is a joy and delight to many. And yes, she, too, has a boxer who looks very much like my grandson’s beloved Chief.
What pierced my heart was not whether or not dogs go to heaven, but the willingness of a child’s trusting heart to deny skepticism and to see the glory of God that was awaited him. My grandson was comforted and content that Chief was fine and happy. He did not need to bring him home. His heart understood that Chief was somewhere better and God’s plan for Chief was good. His mother said that he waved to Chief and then wanted to race home to tell everyone what he had seen. How precious is that?!
My heart rejoiced in the trusting nature of that tow-headed little boy whose joy could scarcely be contained. Chief was safe, God was good, and heaven was just around the corner. His aching heart had been comforted and he was excited that Chief had a wonderful new yard in which to play. I marveled that a toddler so readily grasped what I struggled to deal with myself. He allowed God to comfort his heart and readily accepted His goodness.
Oh how my own heart longs to be captivated by that same childlike trust when things get hard or when I don’t understand. I, too, need to find that reminder that God’s goodness is not far away. It’s within grasp and will both surprise and comfort my heart. It is not an accident that Jesus reminds us that we must become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. We must trust, we must believe, and we must be willing to let ourselves enter into the wonder, goodness, and the glory which God surrounds Himself and that He extends to include us. The Lord longs for us to enjoy all that He is willing to give us. We must not let our doubt, our fear, and our skepticism keep us from our glorious inheritance in Christ Jesus.
Here is what my grandson taught me that day. I even wrote it down at the time and am honored to share it with you today.
We are safe in God’s loving arms.
He is good.
And heaven is just around the corner.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house there are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with me that you may also be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14: 1-4
Kathy White