look up

This afternoon I was sitting at a registration table in the children's area of my church. I love being around children! It's something that hasn't happened much since I've been in college.

The children came in rambunctious and their parents came in tired but smiling, perhaps out of relief or perhaps it's excitement to be in church. Either way it was clear that they were on a mission: to get their kids checked in and head on to their other activities.

I didn't think anything of this until a particular family came in and one child stated to his mother, in a tone of wonder that had a slight command to it, "woah look up!". Our church has an elaborate sky light- is probably the best way I could put it- at the entrance of the children's ministry. This kid had probably walked into this area 50 times, much like we all have, but today while he was enjoying his walk in something caught his eye.

Perhaps it's that kids can get away with being noticeably captivated by something. To stop and simply look at the ceiling- who does that? Now I'm not saying walk into your drop-ceiling basement and stare at it like you would the constellations ... come on now. But I would like to be more observant. If nothing else there's probably cobwebs that have gone unnoticed for the year I've lived here.

I just love that something that would be considered so taboo for an adult is common practice for children. And I guess a verse that would be appropriate is 1 Timothy 4:12. While it's often quoted to younger students I would like to say it to us 'grown-ups' but in a slightly different way: 'Don't look down on anyone because they are young, but let them also be an example to you in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.'