31 May 2010
Being a kid
Sometimes I skip and dance
I don’t tell a lot of people about the skipping and dancing. When I think no-one is watching, or if I’m feeling fairly comfortable, or beyond caring, my feet start to move.
A friend in Victoria who I used to work with, Fiona, used to say “Matt must be tired” when I started to bust a move in the office.
I love those moments of spontaneity. It reminds me of one of my favourite passages from the bible:
Matthew 18:3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5″And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
I was prevented from flying home for a week by the Iceland volcano last month. The extra week gave me the opportunity to spend time with my sister and brother in-law in the U.K. My kids are starting to grow up a little, which is something for me to adjust to, but my little nephew Josiah is what I have in mind when I read this passage from Jesus.
Josiah is full on into life. He stares at you to see if you are watching and then turns on his heel, knowing that you will chase him. He is either full of joy or full of sorrow. He is full of life.
Do you remember being full of life? When you weren’t pre-occupied, scared, worried, stressed or distant? I love the picture Jesus is painting. This is mature faith… being like Josiah, it’s not about looking ‘religious’.
I hope I will never stop skipping, dancing and singing, but I don’t think Jesus is talking about that. I think what he is saying is “I want to invite you into real life.. into a life that is here and now, big and beautiful, joyful and sorrowful. I want to encourage you to step out of your cocoon of safety and into the wide open spaces of real life with me”.
In my next post I will share the lyrics of a song written by my mate Dave and keep kicking this theme around.
I love this Matt…I remember swinging you around in a shopping bag, one or two years ago…AA
Anne
May 31st, 2010 at 11:11 pmpermalink