The last few days I've been able to watch little children play and enjoy life. Just from watching them, I can feel a strong spirit surrounding them. These children have a natural love for everything around them. they can see the beauty of the smallest things in life; the delicious smell of the flowers, the beautiful wings of butterflies, the gorgeous sunrays, a love and friendship with all others despite thier age, race, gender or physical characteristics; and anything and everything around them.
A scripture comes to mind-- "...becoming like unto a child; submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit all things which The Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19)
This is a scripture from Christ. When Christ says in the scripture, "becoming like unto a child", I don't think he is saying to be carefree and have all day be 'play-day'. So what does it mean to be like a child?
1)Submissive: unresistingly or humbly obedient.
2)Meek: Gentle, Humble.
3)Patient:quietly and steadily persevering or diligent, especially in detail or exactness; bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like.
4)Full of Love: Love Like Christ, Love For Christ, Love From Christ. (as I brought up in a previous post)
Why is it important to be like a child?
These characteristics which children portray are the same ideal characteristics and traits which our Savior, even Jesus Christ, has shown to us through how he lived his every day life.
Christ was submissive to the constant council and guidance of His father through the Holy Ghost. He was gentle, and humble, showing a true love for every person who has lived, lives today, and will live tomorrow. Through this strong love He has, Christ is able to be patient with us as we live and constantly make mistakes. And last, but definitely not least, Chirst is always full of Love. I do not believe there are any words to truely describe the kind of love christ has for each one of us. His love is through eyes of a savior who sees not only what we are, but what we can become. He sees us as true sons and daughters of Heavenly Father.
Despite mistakes we make, if we truely and fully repent--promising and striving to not turn back and repeat them--then we can be as the children, and follow Christ with a 'full heart and real intent'.
I believe that once we truely understand this, we can have the strength and ability with Christ's help to look aside from the hardships of this life, and see the beauty and love in everything around us. How wonderful that could be!
“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."(Matt. 16:3-4)
