Life Lessons from Children | Barefoot In A Holler // Hannah B.
Last night at dinner my husband and I were commenting about our three-year-old and his amazing attitude that he has about life. Some of my greatest lessons have come from my children. In fact, we can all learn many qualities pertaining to thoughts about life, attitudes, and characteristics that adults should take notes on. If we lived in the mindset of a child, perhaps we would find our lives more fulfilling and lead the way to discover the purpose of our lives?
Jack will always say, "Hey Mom, I love you." or "I love you, Dad." (He actually says it "Dab") When he says it, it's random. He doesn't limit himself to a one time a day, "I love you". He says it at least 20 times a day because his little heart loves. It's not because we made him his favorite peanut butter sandwich or we did something for him. It's because he was led by the love inside of his heart to say, "I love you." As I am writing this and tears are coming to my eyes, Jack just said his usual line, "Hey Mom, I love you." He is sitting beside me on the floor playing with his toys and he decided to say, "I love you" because it came to his mind and he wanted to express it! Even at a young age, he understands the benefits of love and and importance of love.
They LOVE without conditions. Without even thinking about it. And they do it freely without any strings attached. It's open and it's free. It's a gift that could make someone's day or even their life around.
We are called to love like a child does.
1 John 4: 7-8 | Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 | So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
This is a hard one, isn't it? We have all been hurt and have put up walls to protect ourselves. Once trust is broken, it's hard to rebuild the bond because it is hard to forget but may I tell you what I have learned from my children?
Naturally, children trust their parents to care for them, make them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, ensure they have clean clothes, and that we will protect them from harm when situations arise. Their not having to second guess if their needs will be met or if they will be cared for. They anticipate us to take care of their needs, prepare their meals, and kiss their boo boos.
They trust us. Even when we let them down. After all, we are human.
Obviously, my kids LOVE peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. However, my three-year-old does NOT like jelly on his sandwich. The other day as I was making their sandwiches and a tiny drop landed on Jack's piece of bread. I thought that it was a little drop, no big deal, maybe it will get the kid to like grape jelly!
That was definitely not the case. This poor child was so upset that I put jelly on his peanut butter sandwich. You could tell that he felt betrayed that I gave him jelly. All is well in our house and Jack has since forgotten the day a drop of jelly was on his sandwich. He never even questioned the next peanut butter sandwich I made him. He continued to eat his sandwich as if nothing happened. Trusting that it was peanut butter only.
This is the kind of trust God desires from His children. Anticipating in His ways without distractions of the mind.
God is the only being we can place our full trust in and anticipate His goodness and know our needs will be met.
Just like I know my children need peanut butter, jelly, and bread before they do, we can trust that God is aware of our needs before we know what our needs are. Physical and spiritual. We know that He will meet them.
Matthew 6:26 | Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Psalm 37:5 | Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
Children are sensitive and when someone hurts, they hurt. My three year old is not afraid to express his care for others when they are hurt. It is instant and now natural. The first time he was in a new nursery, there was another child that was hurting. He got down on his knees, making eye contact with her and trying his best to communicate with her. As his mom, I knew he was asking, "Are you okay?" It is absolutely heart warming to witness the act of kindness. It is pure and genuine concern for another person's wellbeing.
Just as God cares for us, we should care for each person that has been placed in our lives and even those we have not met!
Philippians 2:4 | Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
When we examine the actions of a child, we can see the pure and genuine love in their hearts for others. They have concern, compassion, and kindness for others. For they are so little, they are so wise in their ways. They demonstrate Christ's love and show us how to show the love of Christ and fulfill the most important commandment Jesus gave us. For love is powerful enough to drive out darkness and cover a multitude of sins.
Though they are little and rely on us to provide them with their daily needs, they perfectly demonstrate how we should trust our Heavenly Father to care for us. He wants us to be anticipating and relying on Him to provide for us spiritually and physically. By trusting Him with our needs, current situations, and the things we need a supernatural healing on, our faith begins to grow as we witness God taking care of us.
Colossians 3:12 | Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
P.S. I hope you enjoyed this lesson from the holler. If you did, leave a comment below and share on your social media networks.