One day I saw a tiny little girl in my neighborhood who I had never seen before. She was about a year old, just the age that it would be totally normal for her to be terrified of me and my white skin. But when I sat down near to where she was standing with her brother, she looked right into my eyes and came running at me as fast as her legs would carry her and she fell into my lap and stared up into my eyes for the longest time, smiling. Ever since that day she’s had the same reaction each time she sees me. When she hears my front door opening or hears my voice, she comes running. These days she’s getting a little faster. She continues to stare into my eyes and giggle. I feel so confident that it’s not me she’s looking at, but the One who lives inside of me.
I have been told that based on things I said when I was a baby, I was able to see Jesus and knew Him. I can’t remember those days in my life and I wish I could, but I can look at this little girl and feel confident that whatever it was I saw all those years ago, she’s now able to see in me. Through all my flaws and persistent sin and inability to speak her language fluently, she’s seeing the Spirit that even this broken temple I walk around in can’t dim for a child’s untainted eyes and pure heart.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” The children in our people group will be hindered from coming to Him in many ways, from false teaching and indoctrination, to growing up with a deep fear of even considering the thought of following Him. Pray that these chains would be broken and they would have the freedom to seek Him out. Pray He would break into their lives in creative ways and help them to recognize His Spirit in their own homes and neighborhoods. Pray that the things they are being taught would not settle into their hearts as truth, but instead that they would hear what is True from others who would be sent to them. Pray for those who are sent to be welcomed to speak stories from God’s Word.
