Guest Contribution by Colin Hannah

Matthew 18:2-3

My son, Jackson, just recently crossed the one-year mark. What an exciting, exhausting, and informative year it has been! It is safe to say his mother and I have learned much from watching our first child grow.

There is something so simple about the mind of a child. From his perspective, life is basically black-and-white. He has not yet come to the point of overthinking or reasoning, nor has he experienced anxiety, shame, or all that clouds our thought lives as adults. For this reason, I believe Christ uses children as an example for believers all throughout Scripture. In Matthew 18, Christ is teaching His disciples that the simplicity and teachability of a child is the path to spiritual greatness. Therefore, I can learn a thing or two about my relationship with Christ from observing my rather adorable son, Jack. Here are a few of the spiritual lessons Jack has shown me:

He craves the closeness to his creator.

Jack was not a happy camper when my wife, Alyssa, and I began leaving him in the church nursery. The kindness of the nursery worker was no substitute for the comfort that comes from being in his mother’s arms. Even now, over a year later, Jack tolerates the nursery and enjoys playing with the special nursery toys. However, when he sees Mom or Dad coming to get him, he throws his arms up immediately with a look of joy and relief. From the day he was born, I noticed his best sleep was while lying upon his mama rather than in a crib. Why is that? Surely a mattress is more comfortable than that. It is because he craves the closeness of his creator.

Currently, Jack is all about his daddy. Many mornings, he will cry as I leave for work and will be waiting at the glass door with a big smile when I come home. Why is that? Jack feels comfort, safety, and love when he is close to his creator. He knows there is no substitute for that found anywhere else—not in toys, friends, or entertainment. How about us as Christians? Do we have a desire to be close to our Creator? Do we feel comfort and safety from His presence, or are we busy seeking that elsewhere?

He desires personal time with his creator morning, noon, and night.

There is not just one part of the day that Jack craves time with Mom and Dad. He is not content with only a few moments together in the morning, neither does family time before bed hold him over until the next evening. Jack is his happiest when he is with his parents all throughout the day. From our perspective as his parents, we find great joy in being with our son. He enjoys mornings with Mom as they go through their routine. In the afternoons, he waits for Dad at the door, ready to play. In the evenings, Jack longs to sit on our laps as he winds down for bed. I can think of few things he loves more than this. The same should apply to us and our Heavenly Father. How often throughout each day do we simply enjoy time with our Creator? He longs for us to come before Him.

Even after correction, he finds comfort in the arms of his creator.

As parents, we must teach our son, which requires discipline at times. It does not take long for young children to learn they do not like to be told “no.” Slaps on the hand, pats on the bottom, and stern corrections become a more frequent occurrence as Jack grows older. Yet, there is an amazing picture found in those moments. Most of the time, these reproofs result in tears, but what comforts Jack afterward is the “who” that reprimanded him. The tears come, but what follows are his arms stretching up so he can be held by the one who loves him enough to correct him. This response is the same one we all should have regarding not only our sin against the Saviour but also our disobedience of the authorities in our lives when we are lovingly corrected so we can grow.

While many more spiritual applications could be drawn from the simplicity of a child, I suspect Jack will continue to be the source of numerous lessons for me in the years ahead.