Through The Eyes of a Child

“Look at everything as though you are seeing it for the first time, with eyes of a child, fresh with wonder.” ~ Joseph Cornell

Our daughter and son-in-law recently became foster parents for the first time. They adopted a two-year-0ld named Damian and a four-year-old named Jane. We have not enjoyed little feet pouncing through the house in quite some time. We quickly forget how exhausting of a task it is trying to keep up with that much energy. To add to this fantastic news, our same daughter is pregnant with our first grandchild. Baby Anna is due to enter the world in January 2022.

Spending six days with these two reminds us that we experience absolute joy and freedom through our imagination, not knowledge. These two used their imagination to create all kinds of wonder and possibility. Their dreams came alive through their vision.

Penetrating faith and a deep connection with God require the use of our imagination. It’s no wonder that Jesus instructed us to have faith like little children.

^“3 and said, “I assure you that if you don’t turn your lives around and become like this little child, you will definitely not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3 – CEB)

Through the eyes of a child, we gain much wisdom. This perspective helps us adults see things that we consistently miss when left to ourselves. We are too consumed with our worldly agendas to enjoy God’s creation and wonder all around us.

God has instructed us to love God, love others like ourselves, and help usher in God’s kingdom on earth as in heaven. Unless we start to see and experience all of God’s creation through the eyes of a child, we forfeit our invitation into the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is already upon us; it’s not only a future event; it’s a present-day experience if we exercise our faith and imagination like that of a child.

God of wonder and joy, thank You for children and the many lessons they have to teach me over and over. My mind is obsessed with myself and the desire to extract all that I can from this worldly life. The result is I am missing out on the life you have prepared for me. Joy and freedom elude me because of my extreme self-interest. Would you please remove the adult scales from my eyes and help me see and experience the world through the eyes of a child. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will not mine always materialize, now and forever. Amen.