Thomas Merton wrote in his journal: “I wonder if Jesus ever gets tired of waiting for me to grow up. I hope not.” Just what you need, a monk with a sense of humor.

I am afraid I haven’t grown up entirely. My favorite part of the Sunday newspaper is the comics section. I love Halloween when I can wear my wizard hat and eat the leftover Milk Way bars that the trick-or-treaters didn’t get. Is that OK?

Well, Paul seems to think we ought to grow up. “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways” (1 Corinthians 13:11). Phooey. I never much liked Paul. But Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). Maybe there’s hope for me yet.

There is a difference between being childish (what Paul refers to) and childlike (what Jesus refers to). We come into the world completely selfish. Everything centers on us. That’s something we should strive to grow out of. On the other hand babies have to trust those who take care of them. That’s the childlike attitude we need to maintain as it relates to God. Jesus encourages us to have a simple, childlike faith in God.

I don’t know how much time I have left in this life, but I hope I’ll grow up the way Jesus wants.

Read  Mark 10:13-16 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne