Can you give me a smile?

I thank God for children. They are genuine & straightforward, they speak what's in their hearts. I marvel at their innocence, and grieve over how I have lost it.

Last Saturday, I was once again frustrated & short-tempered. I can't remember what it was about but I was wearing a grouchy look on my face. With a one-week old stumble & moustache, I must have looked like someone to stay away from. Yet my elder daughter Deborah asked me, not once but twice, "papa, can you give me a smile, pl....ease?". At the first instance, I gave her a cold look & said nothing. When she mistakenly thought that I may have missed her question (when I was actually ignoring it), she asked again.

Somehow, I obliged with a very fake smile. She laughed at what must have been a funny expression (at least to her). At that instance, I couldn't help but laughed along, infected by her hearty laughter. I plainly forgot what I was unhappy about.

I know why Jesus welcomed the little children. In Matthew 21:15-16 when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he [Jesus] did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read," 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" Children, you see, are sincere and not the least hypocrites. When they are afraid, they don't put on a false front. When they have a need, they ask. They don't waste time getting upset about things. They would rather play "pretend" for the hours adults waste replaying frustrating thoughts in their mind. Just observe the kids at play - one moment they are tending to ponies & sick rabbits on the farm; the next moment, they are in the midst of falling snowflakes which they manufacture out of used paper. Either way, they enjoy and laugh while the anxious adults entertain foolish and futile thoughts.

Sadly, we adults are often guilty of injecting fear, guilt, doubt, inferiority complex and anxiety into children as we raise them from innocence into "reality". "Reality" as we know it, is about being ahead, about trusting in one's abilities, about being first. It's about doing better, about amassing enough for a comfortable life and retirement, it's about "us", mostly.

In God's terms, however, these couldn't be further off-mark.

Matthew 6:33 says "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well". We are to look to God, to allow His will to take hold of our lives, and to allow Him to work His righteousness through us. Ephesians 2:10 further says "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do". If we truly believe the Bible as the infallible word of God, then we need to recognize the stamp "created for good works" in each of our lives. It's like an ISO9000 certification; it represents a privilege, rather than a command, if you ask me.

The early believers gave themselves first to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5). We also read in Romans 12:2 that the Apostle Paul urged the believers not to "conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

What is the pattern of this world? It's the "reality" we spoke about, the standards that this world has set for her believers to pursue, which in reality (pun intended) is plain madness and foolishness. 1 Timothy 6:10 says For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs, and again in Matthew 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Haven't these made any sense yet?

How then should we live? Look to Jesus. He came to serve (Mark 10:45). He took no pride in bestowing majestic titles upon Himself, preferring "Son of Man" to the "Son of God". He was humble and gentle, full of compassion and love for others. His desire was for our well-being. He was the embodiment of the 2 greatest commandments in Matthew 22:37-39, only that He loved more.

Stop and smell the Rose of Sharon. Take a step back and re-assess where we are going. Replace our reality with God's. Learn from little children who are beautiful in God's sight.

Ready to smile again?

God bless,
Thomas