Spending time with the very young is priceless and this one 3-year old was just more than special. Its that questioning time, when everything is why and just as you think all is well; there's another question. The question that really caught me off my guard was something that came while he was doing something else and quite out of the blue “where is grandma” the house went silent for a moment, then “she’s in heaven with Jesus”. The little boy replied “but I want her back” and that was all we heard from him. This lingered long with me, as adults we deal with loss and know what to say and when best to say nothing at all. There really is nothing wrong with saying “I want her back”.
Much later in the day, a stream of questions – “where is heaven, does grandma have a house there, who is Jesus” and “has he always lived there”. My answers were futile, try as I might they lead only to more questions; this young boy was searching me and my knowledge of the above – “do children go to heaven”; help! I felt inadequate and lacking in simple answers, I don’t usually have this difficulty when talking to teens and older folk; I guess they already have some preconceived ideas that I can work with, but this is a child – pure and simple. Jesus words regarding the teaching of children were firm and Matt 18
Note to morning office: may I think before I teach and speak to the child inside.
2 comments:
Simplicity is the way to approach a child with answers. I remember a conversation I had with my daughter when she was around that age. She asked me about God...where he lives etc. I explained as best I could that he was all around.... "but where's his house??" So, I said something about Heaven. She asked....
"Do you think God hangs out with his God buddies?"
oh, yes.... he's got lots of buddies to hang out with. :)
Hey Dana - it's days like this that keep us young and smiling :)
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