Reason Speaks, Love Sings

What I love the most about children is their uncanny ability to see the world with awe. A child’s view of the world is unencumbered by what grown ups consider reality or fact. They simply believe and, for them, everything inspires awe. With little effort, creativity springs forth. I know this is why Jesus loves children. They just believe. They ask no questions, need no proof, require no absolute facts. They do not try to justify away love. They just believe and receive. Simplicity and awe are the trademarks of childhood. Tell them a good story and they accept it with twinkling eyes and gaping mouths; they see it come to life and they believe. Offer them friendship and love and they gladly accept it, no questions asked, no proof required, they just accept the gift. They want to be loved and to love. As we grow, the world around us works very hard to dim the ability to see fairy lights, to accept the unseen as truth, to believe in things other than facts. As those abilities dim they are replaced with reason, science, and proof. Le Petit Prince travelled the universe looking for a grown up who could see past the tip of his nose, and Jesus travels the world looking for adults who have the faith of a child, who are able to accept his gift, the greatest love that ever was. Grown-ups are often plagued by what is most valued by this world: reason and justification. They must see things to accept them, know all facts before they believe the truth. Grown-ups even work hard to justify away the love they are freely offered. Precious time is wasted in constant reasoning of why Jesus cannot or should not love us, why such a love cannot be. And yet in each of us, a child lives who very simply wants, craves, desires to be loved and cherished. It is what we were made for and yet we deny ourselves for the sake of reason. But Jesus does not speak to us reason and facts, he sings to us about love.

We can talk all we want, make excuses, justify everything with words and explanations, reason away the days, but Jesus, he just sings and only the faith of a child can hear his song of love.