Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belong to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

A 6-year-old child walked up to me on Monday in the kindergarten room I usually work, asking me: “teacher, could you make a swan for me?” Noticing that she already had a piece of colored paper holding in her hand, I said “sure” to her eager request. I took her paper and quickly folded it into a swan and handed it back to her. That joyful smile on her face wasn’t the end of the story. “Can I have some tapes, please? Oh, and can I have another paper please? ” Agreeably, I gave her all materials she needed, interested in seeing what’s going to come out.

After a minute or two, she excitedly showed me her “swimming swan” in a pond. She taped the swan straight up on the paper, and drew a pond with lily pads in it, as well as some clouds in the sky. Listening to her explanation of the picture, I was astonished by a six-year-old child’s caring nature! A swan, in her eyes, is needy of a pond for rest, and the pond brings out life to lily pads and the frogs!

I was then, reminded by this little girl, that what co-exists with a sinful human nature, is actually a deep caring nature! It seems to be a child’s natural tendency to pick up a baby doll to feed him a bottle, without being taught. If a child knows to care, how much does us adults know about caring, loving, and meeting the needs of others?I think of God’s order to people when men were first created: “…fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28) One of the international students in my Bible Study group, after studying this passage together, shared that “we should take care of the earth God has given us”, which I can’t agree with more.

The loving and caring nature God has bestowed in us is so well reflected in little children, and no wonder Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belong to such as these.” I hear myself and Christians say “maturity in Christ” often times, what that really means? As I observe and interact with children more, I started to understand, maturity is becoming “child-alike”, always hunger, hunger for spiritual food; always listen and obey, willingly respond to callings from the Father; always ready to learn and grow, believing that whatever Jesus teaches is right; and always give love and care, for we are so well loved by God!