Jesus told us that to enter the kingdom of heaven we should become like a child. How can adults be more childlike? The first change we talked about yesterday was becoming more trusting. Another kind of change we need to make is to enjoy the simple, mundane things of life. Can you find greater joy than the hearing the laughter of children? They laugh from the heart over the silliest things. They get excited about simple things like swinging from a tree, jumping off a diving board, or playing in the dirt. Instead of praying for a day or a week to end, they don’t ever want their day to end, and are sad when they have to go to bed. Sometimes as adults, our lives are so “full”, we can’t even find time to enjoy a glass of lemonade sitting on the porch swing watching our kids play in the yard as the sun is setting, and we happily flop into bed longing for bedtime to come sooner.
I know the summer will soon be here, so I want to encourage you to make this the best summer of your life. Do you want some of this renewed vigor and joy in your life? Find a way to be around some kids! If you’re a grandparent or a neighbor to children, take some time to find a way to build into their lives. If you’re a parent, loosen up and have some fun with your kids. Run through the sprinkler, have a tickle contest, just find a way to laugh and have fun, because life is at it’s fullest when you find joy “just” in living. Say yes every time they ask to play. Their joy is contagious and you’ll find that their joy will rub off on you!