Innocence

​(Author’s note. This was first written in 2017).
Maggie.
Sweet. Steal your heart smile. Spontaneous. Strong willed. Energetic. Enthusiastic. In love with life. Like a beautiful butterfly in flight, my three-year-old, free-floating granddaughter, glides into a room on a wind of innocence and purity.
While visiting with her Doodah and Grandma this past weekend, I looked at her precious face and everything in me said “innocence.”
Maggie’s take on life is simple: enjoy what God has put in front of her. And I mean enjoy! Life to Maggie is for the taking. Get after it, no matter who or what is in the way. Oftentimes baby brother Evan (nine months old) is run over when Maggie takes flight on her next adventure.
I love her innocent spirit. Like all of us, Maggie has a sinful nature which comes out in various forms from time to time. Parents and grandparents know what I mean! But, oh what I love about her is she is pure, uncorrupt, unassuming, and uncomplicated. She takes life at face value and trusts. In her little innocent heart, she believes to the best of her ability that life is good.
How refreshing to this Doodah’s heart who has lived almost seven decades and honestly needs an injection from her innocent spirit.
It is no wonder to me that Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like a child.
“And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. But Jesus called for them saying “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all. “Luke 18:15-17
The spirit of a humble, innocent child is what the spirit of God’s Kingdom is like.
I can see Jesus hugging up and playing with little ones. Laughing with them as they giggle. Having plain, old, pure fun with kids. Maybe loving the spirit of children kept Christ’s spirit young while he fulfilled His mission to be the Savior of the world.
Innocence lost is something that humanity cannot afford to lose.
 
The Spirit Of Innocence

• Innocence and purity reflect the spirit of our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
• Innocence sees life with eyes of spontaneity, curiosity and discovery.
• Innocence keeps life simple, carefree and uncomplicated.
• Innocence believes the best, shuns the worst and enjoys the moment.
• Innocence does not overthink, overanalyze or stress because life cannot always be figured out.
• Innocence looks at life with an unbiased, unprejudiced, nonjudgmental, trusting spirit.
• Innocence sees life as a day at a time and lets us milk it for all its worth!

Whatever happened to innocence? Our culture, including the church, has lost sight of innocence before the Lord. We have corrupted so much of life. Perverted what is pure. Complicated what is simple. Lost sight of what really matters.
No matter what age or stage you at are as an adult, chill out a little bit. Uncomplicate your life. Step back a step or two to days of innocence, purity and spontaneity. Too many of us “mature” people are stressed out. Wrinkles and worry fissures dot the landscape of our aging faces. Some of us look like we were baptized in lemon juice! Cranky. Negative. Uptight. Even cynical.
When was the last time you acted like a little child? (I know wives think husbands act like kids all the time!).
 I mean, how long has it been since you threw caution, not commonsense or wisdom, to the wind and unwound with a little innocent spontaneity? Who gives a rip what someone else thinks. Let innocence overwhelm.
 Life is too short and eternity too long to miss the joys and satisfaction of spontaneous innocence.
Oh, Doodah, to be like Maggie occasionally. She challenges me to get out of my old man comfort zone and enjoy life for a moment. Really enjoy the life that I have in Christ.
Maybe a dose of childlike innocence is what you need today. Ask the Lord to make your heart trust, leap, fly and run like a child. That is His will for us.
Maggie. Thank you little one for blessing dear old Doodah’s heart.
A Word For Your Week: Lighten up your life with a little innocent behavior.