Count Your Blessings #134 – A child’s perspective

Over the last couple of days parts of the UK (perhaps even most of the UK) has had an unusual amount of snow. I say “parts of the UK” because we’ve hardly had anything, but we have had some.

On the morning of the first fall I was first up so took a quick peep between the curtains to see whether anything had arrived overnight. There was a good deal of white, but nothing too deep.

I thought about going for a walk but decided to turn on the radio instead. I was greeted by what can only be described as a tirade of bad news – all because of this stuff called snow.

What made this seeming disaster all the more reportable was that it had occurred primarily in the south, and specifically in London. This is very unusual, and as such they are completely unprepared for the effects of a mass invasion of ice crystals, poor dears.

The roads were blocked, the railways were cancelled, the underground was running a reduced service (not sure how snow affects an underground train?), businesses weren’t able to open, schools were closed for the day, bad news, bad news, bad news.

I was just starting to get sucked into feeling the reporters definite impatience at the disruption of it all when Emily walked into the room. As I had done, she opened the curtains, looked outside, and stated as only a young pre-teenage girl can, “cool”.

Emily wasn’t just stating a fact about the temperature outside. In that one word she broke through all of the doom and gloom being fired at me from the radio and reminded me that snow is FUN. A child’s perspective.

We can get so adult about things like snow, focussing on the inconvenience of it all, when really we should be celebrating the opportunity to do something different for a change.

Jesus had some things to say about children:

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Mark 10

Jesus wasn’t just saying that children were important to him – which they are. He was also saying that we should have their perspective.

Adults can get so stuck in their ways – children see everything as an opportunity.

(I’m not sure how much longer I will be able to describe Emily as a child, but I think I can get away with it for now)