Wonder
Have you ever thought about how toddlers experience the world? There are so many new things for them to discover. I have a not quite 2-year-old daughter at home and it’s been a joy to see this discovery in action.
She “mms” at each new bite of food and wants to try whatever we have. Sometimes what she likes surprises me (Aram sandwiches are a favorite!). She shakes a puzzle box and hears a sound that makes her curious. The next logical step is to open the box and spread the pieces all over the floor. So much fun!
She attempts to put the cat “nigh-night” by covering him with a blanket and finds out that he doesn’t like that when he scratches her hand (Don’t worry, she’s okay now). She sees the puddles outside and is so excited to find water to splash in. It’s almost as fun a pouring cups of water in the bathtub.
She watches her brother build a pillow fort in the living room and decides this is a perfect place to jump. She climbs on the couch and shouts “1-2-3” before jumping in the pile of pillows. Thankfully she’s learned to only jump when there’s a soft landing.
She admires the lights and ornaments on the Christmas tree and even attempts to put them back on after she inevitably removes a few to throw in the kitchen. I mean, in her eyes they do look just like the ball we were teaching her to throw last week.
She tries to sing along with her siblings as we all belt out Christmas carols in the car. She watches our family bow our heads and fold our hands to pray before we eat dinner. She waits patiently and then shouts “Amen!” before digging in.
These are just some of the anecdotes of a day in the life of a toddler, and I share them because I realized that all of these stories are born out of a sense of wonder about the world.
She looks at each new experience with wonder in her eyes. Each discovery brings a new feeling to recognize - joy, sadness, frustration, delight, love.
This sense of wonder is something that we tend to lose sight of as we get older. We get distracted by day-to-day life and begin to live in the mundane. We are too focused on what we need to do next instead of stopping to experience where we are and what we are doing in the moment.
In Matthew 18:1-3, the Bible says, “…the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’ Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get in to the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.’”
Jesus calls us to be like the little children. We need to look at the world with wonder again. Slow down and take in the sights and sounds of God’s creation. Let go and allow yourself to dance and raise your hands in worship to our Great God. Stand outside and feel the breeze in your hair, or maybe even the raindrops on your skin. Stop rushing at the end of the day and watch the sunset, a beautiful painting in the sky that God provides for us each and every day.
Spend these moments throughout the day reflecting on the ways Jesus is working in you and through you. Speak to Him and don’t be afraid to ask questions. He created you to be curious and desire to discover more about Him. You are His precious child and He loves you beyond measure. Remember those feelings of discovery and love and get caught up in the wonder of God.
“Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.’” Luke 18:16