Do you ever wonder about childlike faith?
Childlike is: wonder and awe, joy and love, curiosity and adventure, trust and honesty.
It's all the good qualities of children.
“Childlike faith is the wonder and awe at what Christ did for us. It is a synergy of trust, hope, and unpretentiousness that knows the Lord loves us and will lead us. Because of our trust in the Lord, we are more able to take comfort in Him. Childlike faith sees the world as exciting and adventurous.”
My new favorite thing about children? They can actually wrap their heads around what grown ups find impossible. They don’t have a hard time imagining, or dreaming. They’re unfettered.
They’re free.
The more time I spend with them, the more I actually desire to become like them. In the past few days I’ve watched three movies that have made me aspire to become more childlike. I realize that you might be scoffing at my watching movies, but seriously, they were worth the time.
1) Hook
2) Finding Neverland.
3) Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporioum.
May I suggest you go make yourself some popcorn and sit down on the couch to revisit childhood?
I want to believe in the magical, the supernatural, the God of everyday. It’s there, waiting for us to unlock it, waiting for us to explore and discover.
J.M. Barrie starts Peter Pan with, “All children, except one, grow up…Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.”
Ouch. Two is the beginning of the end?
I refuse to accept that. I don’t want to grow up. I will, inevitably, age, but that doesn’t mean that I have to grow up. I will dig my feet into this sand and reject that notion.
I believe that more of us should.
As Christians, I believe it is part of what Jesus has for us.
Not that we should be childish, but childlike.
The more I see the believers around the world, the more I am burdened for America. We have lost our childlike faith. I know that I don’t always have it. I find myself worrying about things that aren’t even within my control. I find myself doubting the ability of God.
We take everything so seriously. We find ways to take care of ourselves, rely upon ourselves, fend for ourselves. We act like we don’t need God, we don’t attribute the daily miracles around us to him, and we pretend that he isn’t always with us even though he is.
But then, every once in awhile, there are glimpses. I have moments where I stand in awe and wonder at the God of all creation. Where I see myself as the little girl that is running through wildflowers, oblivious to time, enjoying the smells and sights that are here.
I have utter and complete JOY in the fact that my Daddy, my Abba, is the God of all the world and
he is jealous for my affection. It makes me giddy.
The movie Hook is a story of a grown up, Peter Banning, one who has kids and lives in the real world. His children are kidnapped by Captain James Hook, suddenly missing one evening. The one and only Wendy tells him that he is the real Peter Pan and he has return to Never Never Land to save them.
The problem is – he doesn’t believe that he is Peter Pan. He has become used to the reality of life and has completely forgotten everything from his childhood. As a grown up, he’s too worried about work to do much else.
Tinkerbell comes to get him and their exchange is one of my favorites.
Tink: You’re Peter Pan.
Peter: Peter Banning.
Tink: Pan!
Peter: Banning!
Tink: Well, whoever you are, it’s still you. Cuz only one person has that smell.
Peter: Smell?
Tink: The smell of someone who’s ridden on the back of the wind, Peter. The smell of 100 fun summers, of sleeping in trees, adventures with Indians and pirates.
Best part about Tink is that she knows who he is. She knows his past. She knows the adventures that they used to have. But not only has he forgotten, he has blocked it and doesn’t even entertain the idea that it might be reality.
Eventually he remembers, becomes Peter Pan once more, and saves his kids. He plays & pretends with the lost boys until he finally reclaims his faith in the magic of Neverland.
So, why am I talking about movie quotes and make-believe people?
There are metaphorical Tinkerbells everywhere. They come and remind us that there’s something to believe in; there’s something bigger than us and greater than us.
It seems a little bit foolish to some, but honestly, I shed a few tears while watching Hook. Who doesn’t want to live in a world of pirates, mermaids, lost boys, and Indians? A world where kids think happy thoughts and subsequently fly? One where we don’t grow up, but we love every moment and cherish each day. One where we see the adventure and the good in every moment?
To me, it sounds a bit heavenly.
I don’t want to grow up. I don’t want to have such a legalistic, realistic view of life that I don’t see God when he shows up. I don’t want to be too adult, too sensible, too mature for fun, for laughter or for dreaming.
I want to have faith that he can literally move mountains. I want to believe that limbs re-grow and miracles happen and there is wonder in every day. I want to see his kingdom come here in all its heavenly glory.
"All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust."
– JM Barrie
So the question is: Will you be Peter Pan? Or Peter Banning.
