The past two days have been a little stressful. Part of the stress is how one of my children feels about themselves. It breaks my heart to hear words that they don’t deserve happiness or good things to happen to them. Because of these feelings progress is being stalled. It reminds me of ME and my progress or rather, my lack of progress.
I needed a balm for my aching heart. I needed a balm for my child’s aching heart. Then I remembered something I learned from Matt. 18:3. I think I’ve read this scripture a million times before, but I once learned a new way to look at it. It may be the ticket to healing the aching soul
Matt. 18:3 … “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as a little child…”
What does it mean to become as a little child. Mosiah 3:19 teaches how to become childlike as opposed to childish. To become childlike, I need to rid myself of pride. In fact, pride impedes spiritual growth the most. To be childlike is to focus on the positive (including uplifting self talk); to focus on the Light (Christ and the good that comes from following His way). It is to seek charity (pure love, real love); seek patience (the ability to suppress annoyance or irritation with quiet perseverance); seek kindness (sympathy, compassion and tenderness); seek meekness (humble, teachable and submissive) and gentleness; seek to be humble of mind and lowly of heart. It includes long-suffering and slow to anger. To be childlike is to avoid being upset; to avoid negative thinking patterns and sarcasm; to think before speaking and acting. I need to ask for more help to be more childlike – for I know that God answers all righteous prayers. Nothing could be more righteous. Right?
Who qualifies as a “little” child? The usual answers include “little kids, kids under the age of eight; babies”. It is important to remember that we are all God’s children. Ah-ha! We are all God’s “little” children! We are “little” in faith. We are “beginners” in understanding the great power of He who created us.
vs. 6 “ … But whoso shall offend one of these little ones…”
My mind was spinning now.
Some principles seem obvious. No one should hurt children. No one should holler at, or, punch, or abuse children in any degree, or they will face the judgment of God. At the bottom of the page, the footnote says that the Greek for this word meant “to cause to stumble”. With this added meaning it seems that “offending” a child would include causing a child to sin; giving reason for the opposite of all that we had learned in vs. 3 in the heart and mind of a child.
Wow! Whenever I have a negative thought about myself I am offending one of God’s “little” children. Whenever I lose patience with myself and my progress toward the Light I am offending one of God’s “little” children. When I allow pride to reign supreme in my heart I am offending one of God’s “little” children. When I criticize myself, when I am slow to forgive, I am only hurting myself.
All this time I never thought I could apply this scripture to me. I love children – that’s why I home school. I would never dream of intentionally hurting a small child, yet I am so free to hurt myself.
I hereby resolve to seek charity in all its forms – including charity for myself. I will seek patience, kindness, meekness, and gentleness – not only for others whom I love and serve, but for myself. I will seek to be slow to anger and to avoid negative thinking concerning my journey toward health and spirituality. I will seek obedience in all things. I will focus on the Light.
The Savior loves the “little” children. The Savior loves my children. The Savior loves me.
What’s more, we all desire His love and the love of others… no matter what happens in life.
Resigning as the General Manager of the Universe 