I was taught a very important lesson today. My teacher was a 4 year old boy. I refer to him as my nephew because his mom is one of my best friends and he is more to me than just the child of a friend. As I reflect on my day, I realize the few moments I spent with him today taught me so much. Today I looked at him as a leader - who woulda thunk it?
Let me explain a little more. I picked up one his younger sisters after work to have some girl time in the pool. She found a cat toy from a happy meal that I bought a long time ago. I let her keep it. We got back to her home and went inside to eat dinner. Their mom and I got to talking and the kids were playing around us. Their mom made a comment about how they pray every night for Jesus to give the girl courage to go to sleep without her pacifier. I said that was a great prayer. This is where my teacher came in.
Seeing the toy his sister had he was reminded that he also had one of those happy meal toys. His was a panda. He looked all over for his panda but could've find it. He asked his mom and she gave him a few ideas of where to look. But he couldn't find it. After hearing us talk about prayer, he put his hands together, bowed his head and prayed, "Dear God, please help me to find my panda. Amen." I told him that was a great prayer and I bet God is going to help him find it now. And as if God flipped a switch, his mom knew exactly where it was and they went to find it!
My little 4 year old nephew had such faith in God to help him find what was important at that moment. He really showed me what it meant to have the childlike faith. Those things which are important to us are important to God and He has created you so He knows the longings of your soul. To turn to God for what was important at that moment in time for my young nephew has connected the dots for me. Having faith in the big things is important. But having faith in the every moment, the here and now, the life I have right now...that's childlike. Knowing, without doubt, that God is able to help you find your panda, its childlike faith.
I like to think that I have faith in God. I know that He is who He says He is, but that's not the type of faith I'm talking about here. I'm talking about the knowing that it will work out for good, knowing that God's got your back no matter what the situation and believing with all your heart that God loves you, knows you, and cares for your heart. I'm not sure I have childlike faith in the every moment. Most days I'm questing God for the majority of the 24 hours. Wondering how it is I got where I'm at and why my family can't be my family and why I keep feeling this awful feelings. I doubt that I'll ever be at a point where I can belong to a family again. I doubt my own memories. And I often doubt that anything will change from my life right now.
But what my young nephew taught me today was that God is right there beside me. He is listening and He cares about what I'm doubting and what I'm questioning and what I'm longing for. He knows where my panda is and He is gently guiding my steps to discover it. How blessed am I to be taught such wonderful lessons from such a great kid!
