The scriptures teach us to become as a little child. Many times, I’ve heard people at church use that directive to mean that we should be quiet, submissive, obedient, seen but not heard. However, upon observing children, I think there’s more to the story.

Children are inquisitive. They constantly ask “Why?” And when they get an answer, they think about it for a minute and then ask, about the answer, “Why?” on and on until they’re satisfied.

Children are open-minded and aren’t burdened by expectations. Everything is new to them, so they’re not stuck thinking about things the way they’ve always been thought about. I’ve spent many years at church teaching primary, and the kids have had some amazing insights. When I taught about the parable of the Good Samaritan and the directive to love our neighbor, one of the kids asked if space aliens were our neighbors, too. She wasn’t being sassy; she genuinely wanted to know. And then after addressing the ethics of interstellar relations, another kid asked about how to handle bullying at school, so we discussed that.

Children tell the truth, even when they’re the only ones. In the story The Emperor’s New Clothes, none of the adults were willing to state the plainly obvious, for fear of social ostracism. The only one who told the truth, that the emperor wasn’t wearing anything, was a child, who didn’t care what others thought. Real children act like the child in the story; they’re unfailingly honest.

Children care deeply about justice. A refrain often heard from the lips of a child is “That’s not fair!!” As adults, we can sometimes get complacent after a lifetime of little injustices, but children won’t put up with any unfairness.

As we become like little children, or rediscover the child within us, we should likewise be inquisitive, open-minded, honest, and committed to justice.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash