Wisdom of Children
“The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.”—Isaiah 11:6.
There are many Bible stories about the wisdom and leadership of children and youth. An adolescent boy leads Saul to Samuel (1 Samuel 9). Baby Moses’ sister Miriam keeps watch over him until Pharaoh’s daughter finds him and suggests a “nurse” for him (Exodus 2:1-10). A young captured Israelite girl tells Naaman’s wife about Elisha, who can cure his leprosy (2 Kings 5). In the Gospel of John, Andrew brings a young boy with five barley loaves and two small fish to Jesus to feed five thousand people (John 6:1-14). I know there are more stories. Help me remember them.
As a children’s physician and now a grandmother, I find the significance of children daily becoming evident. Children teach us about joy. They model awareness. They show us how to live in the moment. Their connection to the sacred often seems on a shorter string than ours.
As a parent, I was so worried about raising my children “right” that I often missed their wisdom as they were growing up. However, I do remember one time I listened to my young daughter and stopped my busy work to go outside to see the rainbows in our lawn sprinkler—after she came running in to tell me about all the rainbows outdoors.
My grandchildren are growing up too fast. Langley, our oldest, has moved to New York City to study law. Her brother, Mac, is a senior in college. Zoe, in this picture is now going overseas for her junior year in a few days. Turner and Gray will be freshmen in college. Elizabeth will be in high school. I do not want to miss a second I might have with any of them.
I also loved being part of the children at the Cathedral School when I was assigned to Trinity Cathedral.
I have now been appointed as a deacon to St. Mark’s, where there is a Day School. I cherish every opportunity I can get to spend time with these preschoolers. I love how they fold their tiny hands and kneel to pray in Chapel. Sometimes, their heads are bowed. Sometimes, they look up with wonder, seeking to “get” what this new adventure is about. Next week, a friend, Mary, and I will be the storytellers at Vacation Bible School. They teach us more about God and God’s love than most books on my bookshelf, as they share their connection to God.
So when people come to me for spiritual direction, I always recommend spending time with children, especially one-on-one, to learn more about God’s love. Barbara Brown Taylor suggests getting down on the floor with them. Unfortunately, I can no longer do that, but I can still sit and listen to their stories, share meals, throw kisses, and give hugs. I also love to sit and watch movies with them and remind them every time I see them that we love them and that they are beautiful inside and out.
Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/