Donna Barber
The Paladin Youth Development Group
If you spend any time observing young children at play, it quickly becomes apparent that children perceive with the mind and heart – seeing the invisible, responding to the inaudible, feeling the intangible. They are not limited in their thinking by the shoulds and should nots, not consumed with what “people” will think or say or what is or is not supposed to be. They are free.
Child-like is not child-ish. Child-ish-ness is that self-centered thinking and lifestyle that blocks our gratitude to the mercy and faithfulness of God and closes our hands and hearts to the needs of those around us. Childishness blinds us to injustices that are not our own and to the privilege we daily enjoy. Childishness causes us to shrink with irrational fears and make demands for comforts we don’t deserve. But childlikeness causes us to think of others, to take even bread from our own mouth to share with a friend. Childlikeness squeals with delight at the simple beauty of nature, dances with joy over the treasures found that money cannot buy and sobs with heartfelt sorrow over the pain of a neighbor or friend. Most importantly, childlikeness believes what to grown-ups seems impossible, despite all evidence to the contrary, even to the saving of the soul.
So Jesus invites us into this space, this child-like thinking and being. “But, Lord,” we say “how do we make the leap from our hardened adult realism into the innocence of faith? How do we shut our eyes to the deception of the natural and liberate our minds and hearts to the reality of the spirit?” And Jesus responds, “If you continue in my word then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)
In our cities, Kingdom youth development is not just about teaching life skills, providing exposure and developing leaders. Though these things are surely important. But it is most certainly equally imperative to provide spaces and time where the children of urban communities – who must struggle under the weights of poverty and injustice, hopelessness and despair – can be childlike. We create room for the mind to think without answering questions of survival. Space for the heart to dance and laugh and sing without the noise of confusion and places for play where the spirit can connect with the God who gave it and receive new visions and dream new dreams.
Unlike the body, the soul of man is not made free by legal or political proclamation. Freedom is the result of the knowledge of the truth. The truth that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The truth that we are created in the image of God. The truth that God knows us, chose us and loves us without condition. That He is with us to protect us and provide whatever is needed so we shall not want or fear or lose. We are therefore free to imagine what can be, to create what is not yet, to run into the unknown fully open to the experience. We can explore the curiosities of life and respond with honesty. We can risk being vulnerable and caring and give away unrestrained love. We can dare to hope and imagine and dream. In fact we have been invited to do so, knowing that our hope will not bring us shame. We can believe in God and do the impossible. We must pursue this transformation, this renewal of mind for without it we shall never see the kingdom of God.