More than once, Jesus pointed to children as examples. Even in a culture where children were considered a liability and of little worth, Jesus would pull a nearby child into the circle of his disciples, and say, have faith like a child, or come to me like a child. He told us that we were children of God (1 John 3:1).
So it seems that we who get to observe children should consider the possibility that they might have something to teach us. My daughter, 16, leads a group of 3-year-olds. She is their teacher, but she is also their student. She says lately she’s been learning about worship by watching those kids.
In our church, kids’ worship music is typically exuberant, and 3-year-olds love it. Most know the simple lyrics and sing them out with abandon: “Jesus is the best, the best, the very, very best!!” They jump up and down through whole songs, flinging their arms up in unselfconscious joy. Even if they do not know the words, they loudly sing “aahhh” (the beginning sound of alleluia) as they dance and jump. Who needs lyrics when you can simply make a joyful noise?
We who lead children have an amazing opportunity: a front row seat to unedited, uninhibited worship. And if we’re brave, we’ll follow their lead (and Jesus’ instruction), have the faith of a child, and learn to worship in that same joyful, celebratory way.
The words “spiritual disciplines” are helpful to describe those practices in our lives that help us on the road of discipleship. And yet, the term discipline too often connotes punishment (something altogether different, actually). We think worship must be serious, or at least “deep,” something that moves our soul in a profound way. Profundity has its time and place; deep and reverent spiritual connection to God has great value. But, if we’re honest, aren’t we mostly worried about how we sound, or if we’ll look foolish raising our arms or singing off key?
And yet, there is a part of us that was made to simply celebrate and laugh, to jump up and down with joy. What better object of such celebration than our loving God?
Throughout the Old Testament, we find the record of God’s commands: moral guidelines, relational rules, even sanitation specifics. But we also find a curiously high number of passages that spell out how God’s people are to set aside their work and simply celebrate: to enjoy special meals, extravagant celebrations, all for the purpose of remembering God’s goodness and thanking him for it. (See, for example, Deuteronomy 14:22-27, Leviticus 23, or Leviticus 25.)
This time of year, post-holidays but pre-spring, can seem a little bit like a spiritual winter as well as a physical one. I can think of no more appropriate and helpful disciplines than worship and celebration. We ought to let a little child lead us, jumping up and down and flinging his arms to the sky, and come before the one who loves us so much with joy and abandon. After all, he is the one who has lavished his love upon us, and calls us children of God.
Keri Wyatt Kent is a speaker and author of eight books, including Deeper into the Word: Reflections on 100 Words from the New Testament. Learn more about her ministry or get in touch with her at keriwyattkent.com or on facebook.
