Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."
-Mark 10:15 (NRSV)
MY grandson Damon is four and always wants to be like me. "We'll both be the same, Granddad," he says. When I hurt my foot recently while playing with him, he had to have a bandage on his foot too.
My grandson and I have a wonderful relationship. We do many things together. I teach him to do many practical things and join him in his imaginary world of play.
He and I often watch workers on building sites and then go home to imitate them, using simple garden tools. We have developed a special sign -- a crossed second and index finger -- that we call our worker sign. Each time we get together, it seems he has grown up and changed just a little. His love for me is spontaneous and his affection open and demonstrative.
Perhaps Jesus wants us to be like my grandson is with me -- to want to be like him by walking in his footsteps or sitting by his side in our daily work and play. We grow in Christ's likeness by loving him and others with spontaneity, openness, and joy.
