"I shall then show forth Thy praise, Serve Thee all my happy days; Then the world shall always see Christ, the holy Child, in me"

The gifted Russ Blassoples, who has so far been the person to be the most impressionable on me with regard to spirituality, has reminded me of the child. Children. Being childlike. In a post he speaks about when Jesus told the story of people pulling gloomy faces to show that they are fasting, and he explains how he hopes that Jesus would have been pulling these faces when telling the story to children .

This makes me think that we forget sometimes that the children in our world are going to be tomorrows adults and that they too need spiritual guidance. We should not just leave them to do 'kiddy things', we need to remember that as adults and as leaders, we have a responsibility to share our spirituality with them. That doesn't mean we must say 'No TV!' for the next month, this is not punishment. This simply means that we should share stories with them, open them up to spirituality so that they may accept it when it is time and so that they there is somewhere to go, somewhere to turn to when they feel at a loss.

Teach children to pray, if only at night before they go to sleep, or at the table before they eat. And perhaps, we have lost touch with our faith somewhat. life is an ongoing struggle and sometimes we may feel despondent. Maybe if we take on the mission to introduce spirituality to our children, a niece, a friends child, or a neighbours child, we will rediscover our own faith as we are reminded of what it is like to be childlike, to be open and eager to learn.

In any case is it not true that we need to be childlike to enter His Kingdom? Let us remind ourselves what is like to be childlike, trusting God.

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child;
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to Thee.

Fain I would to Thee be brought,
Dearest God, forbid it not;
Give me, dearest God, a place
In the kingdom of Thy grace

Lamb of God, I look to Thee;
Thou shalt my Example be;
Thou art gentle, meek, and mild;
Thou wast once a little child.

Fain I would be as Thou art;
Give me Thine obedient heart;
Thou art pitiful and kind,
Let me have Thy loving mind.

Let me, above all, fulfill
God my heav’nly Father’s will;
Never His good Spirit grieve;
Only to His glory live.

Thou didst live to God alone;
Thou didst never seek Thin own;
Thou Thyself didst never please:
God was all Thy happiness.

Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb,
In Thy gracious hands I am;
Make me, Savior, what Thou art,
Live Thyself within my heart.

I shall then show forth Thy praise,
Serve Thee all my happy days;
Then the world shall always see
Christ, the holy Child, in me.