One thing I've learned growing up ... is that we don't really grow up. Well, we do learn things, gain experience, and become wiser and much more capable, but we all still have imperfections, insecurities, and ignorance.
And when I say "ignorance," I'm meaning in a good sense -- simply not knowing something. There are so many things to know in the world that it's impossible to know everything, and so we must rely on other people who are experts. Like a couple of weeks my lawn mower broke down. I did everything in my power to fix it, but it wasn't enough. I had to take it to a mechanic ... it turned out to be a clogged carburetor. The guy got paid, and everyone was happy.
I could write a whole post on ignorance, but I'll continue on with this child idea.
I look at myself as a child, and there were some things I did well. I was always good at music ... a little prodigy. There were things I enjoyed ... TV and video games. Also math and logic puzzles. And I had a vivid imagination. I'm sure we all have lists of things we were good at as a child.
I also had a whole bunch of insecurities. I was kind of okay making friends, but I was always a cut-up, always looking for attention, and not really connecting with many people. People liked me, but always saw me as goofy, or someone to make fun of, or to go to for a good joke.
And I was always afraid to go somewhere new, to call someone on the phone, or go up to someone to engage. I hated doing the door-to-door sales many schools had you do for fundraising. My parents also pointed out to me many times that I spent too many times reading books instead of playing with friends.
As a child, I always looked up to adults -- how they had it all together. They were wise, and I could trust them. They were grown up. I longed for the day to come when, I, myself would be grown.
When I finally did grow up, I found that hardly anything changed. My body was larger and stronger, but other than that, my strengths were still my strengths, and my weaknesses were still my weaknesses. Of course I learned how to capitalize on my strengths, but I was already doing that as a child.
And I look at all the other grown ups around me, and I can see the same in them. They all still have insecurities. That's one thing my age and experience has granted me ... the ability to see these insecurities in everyone. Even when I look at famous people -- presidents, CEOs, religious leaders ... I can still see the same insecurities even through the facade each of these people put up.
So, I totally get it when Jesus tells us to be like little children.
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
Understanding this has helped me immensely in my adult years. I think it's being honest, knowing my own shortcomings, and realizing that everyone else is in the same boat -- none of us are immune.
And I know that God and Jesus realize that, too. To them, we all really are children.
The most important part ... if we truly are children, then that means we all have potential. There's always room to grow and become bigger than what we were before. So, realizing we are children should constantly remind us that we need to always push ahead and always improve, and never stop. And this is what I believe Jesus is talking about in his quote above. Those who stop trying think they're already there, and are no longer children -- and these types with their arrogance are unlikely to progress any further.
So who's with me! Who wants to keep on being a child?
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