Joy of Children

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents.”  Proverbs 17:6

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, who he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 18:1-3

My grandmother lived in a care center in northeast Lincoln when she could no longer live alone. Sometimes I visited her by myself and sometimes I took our young daughter with me. I noticed that when I took our young daughter, my grandmother seemed more alert. 

I learned about a rural church in southeast Nebraska that had a care center and also a day care for young children on the site. The children and the care center adults did simple art projects and shared daily snack time together. It was a special time that all looked forward to each day.

In my 25 years as a pre-school teacher and also a teacher in church settings, I learned so much from children. One time that I recall, I taught preschool children in vacation church school. Just before the last evening worship with the children and families, I took the children outside “to get the wiggles out”. We took our offering basket with us with coins given as children arrived that evening.

Outside the dandelions were blooming. The children asked if they could pick them. I told them they could each pick one special one. As we paused a moment at the sanctuary door, each child gently placed their dandelion on top of the coins in the offering basket. 

Children add joy to our lives. We can learn much about sharing joy from children.

Prayer: God, we are grateful for the gifts of joy that children add to our lives.  Remind us to learn from children and how they share joy. Amen.

Lois Poppe (reprinted from 2020)