Most of you reading this know our four year old, Noah. If not, here's a pic of the silly little man.
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| This is Christmas Eve, and he's saying, "Mom, do you like my tie?" : ) |
Noah has always been a busy little boy, but also a boy of few words. He can talk fine, he just doesn't have as much to say as our other boys did at his age. Noah has always been the cuddler, kisser, hugger, "I love you Mommy and Daddy", type of kid. Let me tell you what, he is a deep thinker and his intuition is spot on.
Last night we were reading a book and Caleb (our very free spirited child) pointed out that one of the characters in the book was fat! Well, I don't want my kids pointing out every fat person in the world, so I politely told my kiddos that calling someone fat was hurtful and could break their heart. Well, Caleb immediately threw himself into the corner of the couch and buried his head like an ostrich in the sand (do you get me here). Did I mention he's mildly dramatic? (Sarcasm added on mildly please) He clearly was upset that I told him he could hurt someone's feelings by his choice of words, but Noah sat silent for awhile. After a few minutes had passed Noah looked at me and said, "If your heart is broken, does Jesus give you a new one?" Would you know that I always have something to say, but at that moment I really didn't know what to say.
My husband made his way into the living room (probably wondering what all the commotion was with Caleb), and I shared with him what Noah had asked me. Without even thinking, my husband said, "Jesus doesn't give you a new heart, but he can help fix your old one." Even now at this very second I want to sit and marvel at his God given, absolutely right on response to that. Jesus doesn't give us a new heart, but He is the mender of hearts if we so let Him be.
This whole thing got me thinking about broken hearts...broken people. Aren't we all, at some point or another in our lives, a walking mess, a hurting person, an empty soul searching this world for something or someone that we can make ourselves feel whole with? Deep down, we all know that nothing here on this earth will mend the heart or fill the void. Did it really take the sweet question of a child to remind me that any bitterness or resentment that I hold deep within, that essentially breaks my heart, can just be dropped off at the cross, never to be picked up again, that there is only one mender of hearts, one Savior? Well...I guess so.
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And then he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:2-4
Praying today that I may be more humble, more childlike in my faith, that instead of working through hurts on my own, I will allow myself to leave them at the base of the cross. Praying for friends searching the world for answers they're not gonna find. Praying for those lost to be found.
