A passage from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians can serve as a very relevant reminder to all of us: “Do not become children in sense. But in malice be children, and in sense be perfect.” (14,20)
Yes, indeed! If we have to grow to maturity, in whatever way we understand it, we should remember that we also have to try to remain like a child, at least in the heart, for that is how we can go on and on in life in spite of the many trials, challenges, excitements, successes and failures. That is how we get to our final destination.
Our Lord himself says the same in so many words: “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me. For the kingdom of heaven is for such.” (Mt 19,14)
In spite of the many limitations of children, what makes them always desirable is their pure, innocent heart, incapable of malice and source of many other good things.
It’s this kind of heart that makes them, and us if we try to be like them, to be trusting in the Lord always, like a little kid always confident with his father. Faith and hope easily grow and acquire strength when nurtured in a child’s heart. It’s this attitude that leads them to go on and move on no matter what, for life to them could only be an adventure of discoveries.
It’s this kind of heart that makes them transparent, sincere and simple, not afraid to be known as they truly are. They may still lack the subtlety of prudence and discretion, and be prone to spontaneity, but they hardly mind these deficiencies.
They are only interested in doing what they think is good and enjoyable. Suggestions and corrections do not humiliate them. Rather, they are welcome.
It’s this kind of heart that makes them humble, teachable, flexible and docile. You can tell them anything, and they always tend to believe and obey. Attainments, achievements and successes do not spoil them. Neither do difficulties, temptations and failures crush them and plunge them to sadness or bitterness.
It’s this kind of heart that makes them easy to motivate, to be consoled, to be optimistic. Falls and mistakes are easily forgotten. They only leave a mark that becomes a source of precious lessons for them to learn. It’s a heart that’s quick to heal when wounded.
In short, it’s a heart predisposed to see things as they are, whether they are self-evident natural truths or highly mysterious supernatural realities. What they don’t yet understand, they simply accept and believe, relying simply on the recommendation of parents and elders.
To remain childlike is a necessity to all of us as we cruise through life gaining and acquiring more knowledge and skills. Otherwise, we would have no other alternative but to get spoiled, and to forget where we come from and where we are supposed to go to. This is when we start to complicate our lives.
That is why our Lord told us: “Be therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.” (Mt 10,16) We should find a way to arrive at this ideal combination, and never dare to stray from it.
So everything should be done so that this need of ours to remain childlike as we pursue our life’s temporal goals be always in everybody’s mind. We need to help one another, always giving good example of being childlike to others.
One of the most compelling moments of my life was when I had the privilege to see much older people who were well-heeled, with a long list of achievements to their names, remaining like a child in their attitudes and their actuations. And I saw the effects this childlike quality had on them.
That convinced me that remaining childlike is a necessity, and that it is doable and not just a good idea, a gospel doctrine that will forever remain impracticable.
It pains me to think that many children nowadays are robbed of their childhood because they are prematurely initiated into the adult world of technologies and other things that often leave them confused and bewildered.
What can be worse is to see adults whose fascination for children remains in the superficial level. They just want to look young and to act young like children, but missing the true substance of spiritual childhood.
We need to do a little reminder and catechesis on the necessity of remaining childlike all throughout our life.