You know you’re small and weak, you rely on the big people to help you, guide you and keep you safe. The big people are good at it, and so good at so many things that some of these big people become your heroes. They are bigger and better than you, they can run faster, they are stronger, less afraid and more clever. You look up to these giants because you see great capability, skills and fun in them. They can achieve far more than you and you are in wonder. You learn to trust these big people because it is not hard to see that they are more capable and stronger than you, and you love spending time with them. You ask them all sorts of questions and depend on them for real answers. You enjoy their company, their time and make use of the fact that they are greater than you. You can see there is yet much more to learn and experience, and you often want to grow up to be like one of your heroes.
As adults, one of the big people, we smile at the young's admiration and inquisitiveness, we regard it as sweet and cute, but isn't it much more than that really? Is it no wonder that Jesus tells the little children to come to him?! Can you imagine their reception of him? They’d love his stories, they’d be clambering all over him, wanting to follow him and play with him, copy him and ask all sorts of questions, and Jesus encouraged it.
Jesus wanted children around him. There's something more profound in the loving acceptance and enjoyment of children. They recognise things in people that are worth looking up to, they are grateful for the small things, they give everyone a chance and see good in people. These children were captivated by Jesus, they wanted to hang around with him, listen to him and he wowed them! He made time for them and they flocked to him. Is t no wonder Jesus wanted to spend time with the kids?! The children clearly saw something in Jesus that was worth looking up to. They could appreciate Jesus’ significance, their reception of him and perception of who he is was accurate. He is someone worth looking up to, he is captivating and fun to be around. He was a big person. Not just bigger in size, but he capable of so much more, and the children were filled with wonder. They were aware of their smallness, but not afraid to clamber towards someone who's so much bigger.
So, what happens as we grow up? When do we stop feeling small?
I guess it’s when we get older, we get more experience, we see things that once seemed huge and now they are not as big and scary. We lose a sense of wonder and appreciation of the things around us, let alone of God. We find less to appreciate and captivate us about others and we get too busy to concern ourselves with stories and games.
Our vision of who we are increases as we gain more skills and opportunities, we gain a greater awareness of our own capabilities as we now become the big people. We see ourselves as more able and less reliant. We know we are no longer small and maybe joke about our childhood fancies and foolishness. We have grown up. But is that such a good thing? Yes, we have gained responsibilities and abilities and we are no longer small. Sadly, that means our perspective of who we are changes as well as our recognition of others and God. The big things lose their significance with us too. The God who seemed awe-inspiring and wonderful, magnificent and magical wanes in our vision.Our perception of things changes as we grow and that includes our perception of who God is.
We can lose some of the sense of awe, significance and greatness of God. We no longer rely on him for the small things that we are now capable of achieving, but do we really rely on him for much now we are bigger?
Is it no wonder we are told to come to God like children? They have an accurate sense of their own smallness in relation to God, they are enthralled with whatever is bigger, stronger and more capable than them - that doesn’t have to change as we ‘grow up’.
I like this image, because I think this is how we should see ourselves as adults. We are no longer small, but instead of realising how big we are now, God is still enormous! No matter how much we grow, how 'unsmall' we feel, God will always remain big. It is time to recapture some of that childhood wonder. It is time to reflect on the enormity of the God you know. It's time to reflect;
Is your God big?
Is He bigger than your circumstances? Your life?
Is He so big that he captivates your attention?
Maybe you are no longer small, but do you realise that God is still big?!
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