Five-Year Old Faith


There’s something incredibly refreshing about the faith of young children. Some might call it gullibility or naïveté. But I see it differently. Sure, you can tell them something untrue and they don’t have enough understanding to doubt you, but if you ever want to experience a different peace, get down on a five year old level and ponder life.

In our daily busyness, we can miss the chances children give us to see their unique perspective. Sometimes their insights can only be described as “inspired”. Younger kids haven’t faced enough rejection and ridicule, so they speak the truth they know. There’s nothing quite like it. And honestly, I’ve missed it.

But my grandson has given me another chance. This past summer he came for a visit and as we sat in the loft of the cabin (where I keep the toys) he asked me about Heaven. I thought for a moment how best to respond, but he offered his own thoughts:

Heaven is soft and warm and everyone smiles. It’s yellow and blue with lots of other colors too. You can run or swim and if you want to you can sleep in. Heaven is the place where everyday is a weekend.

His thoughts weren’t complicated or worried. Death meant the door was open not closed. Like most children, the topic switched quickly. Soon we were racing cars, but his words lingered in my mind. I’ve always sensed that young kids have this genuine spirit-filled faith that life just gradually chips away. I wished it didn’t have to happen that way.

Call it a child’s innocence, but there’s something I’ve learned from listening to him. When Jesus told us to become like little children, this was what he was meaning. To have faith means believing in something you don’t see right now. Childlike faith. I’m working on that. Life may have chipped away at me, but thanks to my grandson, I’m beginning to see things through five-year-old eyes again.

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