Looking deeper

Sometimes, I am amazed at how truly loving and genuine children are...to look through their little eyes at the world around them...to see the beauty of green grass, not the chore of mowing it...to get excited about seeing a ballgame, not dread the heat of sitting at one... to see a person, not a handicap...No wonder Jesus said to come to Him like the little children.

Last night, we had an outing with Eric's work. We were to go to the Baron's baseball game at the Met. The kids were pumped. All the way there, Eric and I talked about how hot it would be and how we hoped to be in an air conditioned area for our dinner. The kids, on the other hand, were singing (their favorite) "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" over and over. Upon walking up to the field, Sydney saw a group of men. She began jumping up and down. She was yelling, "Jesus, Jesus... Mommy, it is Jesus." Of course, knowing she had to be mistaken, I bent down and had her show me where - all I saw was a group from a home for mentally and physically handicapped men. She was emphatically still yelling and pointing and smiling. Her excitement brought tears to my eyes...she was thrilled to see Jesus. When I finally figured out what she saw, I couldn't help but smile. There was a man in the middle of the group who had arm braces on to help him walk, a sweet smile, a beard, a mustache, and a head full of dark brown hair. To my sweet daughter, he was a dead ringer for the man in her Bible books that we talk about and sing about. She didn't even notice the braces or his drawn limbs. Her love for him and excitement to see him was pure and precious.

She saw Jesus...in someone I merely looked past. They saw an exciting night at a ballgame...when I saw a hot night at a work function. I think I need to adjust my vision and my heart to be a little more "childlike....."