The Foolish Children

I love the children in my life! 

"Many teachers think of children as immature adults. It might lead to better and more 'respectful' teaching, if we thought of adults as atrophied children." (Keith Johnstone)

Alexander (now 14) will still call out numerous times in a day, "hey Dad, come see this..." and he'll have some marvelous discovery to share with me, through eyes of playfulness and wonder. Or my grandson, just shy of two years, who upon seeing Anna and me immediately wants us to come down to his level and play (undoubtedly with cars).

We adults are sometimes so foolish that we forget to be Foolish (note - Foolish with a capital "F" indicating intentional playfulness, engaging imagination, laughing at humanity's adult silliness). How crazy is that? We get so serious about making money and running helter-skelter, holding grudges, feeling important, and a myriad of other silly adult obsessions, that we completely ignore the life-giving, renewing work of just simply playing.

Jesus did not forget though. Many of his stories can be told with a twinkle in the eye, the edge of a smile blooming on the storyteller's face. And there's that wonderful reminder from Jesus - unless we are like children we'll miss the Kingdom - we just won't understand it.

In fact, some of us have become so serious, have invested so much energy in frown-wrinkles that our playful heart is almost smothered. Almost... but not quite. 

Inside all of us is a child, full of smiles and twinkling eyes, hands that want to touch and explore, mouths that want to taste, imaginations waiting to burst open... I have found that we adults, when given a safe place and permission to do so, will indulge in being playful. That is one of the things that I love to bring to worship - playfulness. The spirit in the room changes completely when we laugh, when something unexpected and fun erupts. It is like a fresh breeze has just blown through, reviving us.

So, here's some homework - this week, before next Wednesday rolls around, be playful. With a friend, or on your own, do whatever it is that brings out the little boy or girl in you. And if possible, do it with your whole being, just dive in, and then call out to the Father, "hey Dad, come see this..."  

"Mix a little foolishness with your prudence: it's good to be silly at the right moment." (Horace)

Pastor Bill

Think about when

you laughed hard

tears rolling down

the heavens laughing with you

your whole being

in the moment

there is a smile on your face right now

just thinking about it

healing you

with love

surrounding you

filling you

laughing with you

so Breathe

and Breathe again

Amen

[First published February 29, 2012]