Nothing says spring like the creaking of an old swingbeing broken in again after the last chill of winter, little legs gliding through the air wild & free, oh the laughter… Nothing speaks to childhood more perhaps than a makeshift tree house, making up stories sitting on a bed of old leaves. Too many times we disdain childhood, assuming that the reality of continual joy is a myth and sooner or later they will see and perhaps calm down and stop making such a rowdy fuss over everything. Maybe we even marvel at our children wishing we could renter the wonder of delighting over every single thing.

The disdaining and marveling are both mistaken, what unlocks joy and delight is not naïveté. It isn’t a personality bent or a fleeting childhood gift. It is a gift we can all receive and experience again as often as we desire.

Joy and contentment are not mythical, they are among the happiest of realities for the saint.

Joy and contentment cannot be stolen by time or trial or anything. Children enjoy these gifts, much of the time, by way of their innocence. They are born guilty, complete sinners, yes, but they are born free of preconceived notions about life and therefore experience unbridled joy even happiness at the simplest of things.

The world hasn’t lost it bigness nor the Creator His greatness in their small eyes, especially if they have received parents wise enough to teach them well.

Watching my children I experience their sweet joy and my mind goes again to what Jesus says…

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3

Jesus isn’t telling us to be childish; He is telling us to be child-like, open, humble, believing. No one loves as unguardedly as a child; no one is easier to please, and no one believes more.

We must come to Christ again and again the way a child does. Without presumption and happy with whatever is given. We receive Jesus with humility, with unhindered faith, just the way children do. We come contentedly and expectant, because we know and understand Jesus loves us.

Jesus. Loves. Us.

Faith like a child still pleases Him and our hearts swing up to the sky, and we are free!