We recently had small group at my pastor’s place. While we were eating, his young daughter asked my sister what her favorite food was; my sister hesitated, said she liked a lot of foods, then finally decided on pizza.
I was thinking about that the other day and realized that, several years ago, there probably would have been an instant answer. Younger children have favorites, ya know? Favorite food, favorite color, favorite animal, etc.
My favorite color was blue (still is, but I’m more open to other colors than when I was younger); I even had a second-favorite color (red, I think) and perhaps a third-favorite (green?). I still claim “horse” as my favorite animal, but I’m not obsessed with them or even that interested. I like so many foods it’s easier to tell you the foods I don’t like. I used to have a favorite song (which was replaced every so often, but I had a favorite); if you ask me now what my favorite song is, I’ll just say “I have a lot.” I had favorite clothes. A favorite stuffed animal. Favorite games I wanted to play. Favorite movies.
And that was–is–normal for kids. You meet somebody new, you ask them about their favorite stuff.
But now? Now that doesn’t happen. You meet someone around your age and start talking/getting to know them, and favorite colors, etc. are hardly–if ever–mentioned.
When did we stop? Why did we stop?
Do you become more open-minded and acceptive of different things as you grow older? Do you stop talking about your favorites or even really having them because you’re worried it makes you seem childish or close-minded? Do favorite animals and colors stop being important? Do you just stop caring?
I don’t know.
I do know that Jesus wants us to be more like little children when it comes to our relationship with Him.
But maybe. . . Maybe we should be more like them in other ways too.
I mean, they (mostly) know what they like and don’t like. They’ve got their things they want to do and sometimes insist on doing. They get all excited when they get to eat their favorite food, or they get something that’s their favorite color, or they get to watch their favorite movie. They have several ideas of what they want to be when they grow up. They’re not afraid to tell you their favorites, then ask what yours are.
Maybe we need to figure out what we like and don’t like. Maybe we should know more what we want to do, and maybe be more insistent about doing it (in certain circumstances). Maybe we should get excited more. Maybe we should dream big and have several ideas of what we’d like to do/be and not let logic or traditions or expectations hinder us. Maybe we need to stop being afraid of telling others what our “favorites” are, and of asking them theirs.
I understand and agree we need to be open to different things, and not be stubborn and insist on having things our way, and stuff like that.
But what if we would love certain things more? What if we would get all excited about them? And what if “Jesus” was one of our favorites and we weren’t shy about proclaiming it?
/~/
I apologize for the rambling, random, not-making-much-sense post. I didn’t have anything else to write and this idea has kinda been in the back of my mind for several days, so. . . 🙂 What are your thoughts? Want to share some of your favorite things? 😉
