Like children among you

I am going to paint this picture in your head...you might think I am crazy...but I believe that we should live like the children among us.

Here are three reasons why:

1. Excitement
2. No expectations/clue
3. Gentleness

Think about how excited children get about certain things. When I was like 5, there was a video of me playing with the styrofoam that was protecting a Christmas present that I had got. I was infatuated by the packaging of my toy. The smallest things get kids excited. As we grow older we loose that excitement about life. We need to get that excitement back.

Another quality that kids have that we lack is not having expectations. Young kids don't really have expectations for their lives yet because they haven't really experienced much. Most of the time they don't have a clue how things work. They are so focused on the moment. I think about when I was a young kid...the days seem to last forever, and I was easily content in all situations. (unless I was hungry) Children also don't full understand what it means to please people. They are content with their lives and with very little. Most children don't wake up thinking about what people they are going to try and please today.

Young children are gentle. A part from the fits that they might through, a young child has a certain amount of gentleness that we lack. Children are often gentle because they don't really understand what it meats to be let down, again they don't really have that much of a clue because they are young and haven't really had much experience with life yet.

Where is this all coming from?

"We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you." 
(1 Thessalonians 2:6-7)

Children are never looking for praise from people. I am encouraging you to live like the children among you because when we do that, our lives can look totally different. Especially when it comes to the relationships that we have with others.

Have excitement in your relationships. Just like a child does from the little things. Often times children are excited to talk to people no matter what that case is. They're excited because they don't know any better. What would it look like if you approached your conversations and daily interactions with people as if you didn't know any better about that person. I want to have the same excitement I have talking to a janitor as I would when I talk to my Managing Director.

Treat all people without having expectations. Just like what children do. They don't know any better to have a reason for setting expectations for their lives or other people on a daily basis. The moment we start setting expectations for people, we are either thrilled by those or disappointed. It's also not fair to set expectations for other people because we aren't perfect. Only God is perfect, and can fulfill all expectations. If we are really trying to be followers of Christ why do we so often set unfair expectations for others?

Be gentle to everyone. Gentleness is often overlooked as a personal trait in our society. Power and assertiveness gain more respect, even though no one likes to be bullied. Gentleness is love in action-being considerate, meeting the needs of others, allowing time for the other person to talk, and being willing to learn. It's essential. Children are so gentle and it's something we are drawn too. Be that person that people are drawn to because you are gentle.

I feel really passionate about what I wrote tonight in this post, and I encourage you to take it to heart. We need to remember to approach people like the children that are among us. When we do that, it will be a beautiful thing.