light shining

The tiny dancer had her first formal recital last weekend. Her class was a ballet/tap combination, so they danced one number in cowboy outfits designed to look like Jessie from "Toy Story" (photo below; proud-mama instincts overcoming strictly-thematic agenda). Her class performed its second dance, however, to an instrumental version of "This Little Light of Mine."

I'm constantly struck by how well the kiddo lets her little light shine. She retains what she learns in Sunday School and impressed her preschool teacher by knowing most of the Bible stories already. She dances around singing amusing variants of worship music, and she can pick out a song as something we sang in church far sooner that I usually do. She carefully puts her "Alleluias" in a mental box for Lent and tells the pastor exactly what we're bringing back on Easter morning. She talks about our dearly departed cat all the time, partly because she misses him but just as significantly because she knows with absolute certainty that he's waiting for her up in heaven. (Yes, we are an animals-have-souls household.)

She faithfully prayed for her friend Tommy's little brother to get the sunlight he needed to grow healthy and strong throughout the period our friends were waiting to travel to Africa and pick up their newly adopted child. When I reminded her yesterday evening that Pastor had encouraged the kids to use their hands to serve others this week, and told her she'd done exactly that when she watered the backyard garden before bed, her little face glowed with pleasure and she announced she'd be sure to tell him next Sunday. (P/T, if you're reading this and she remembers to mention it, act surprised!)

In short, the 5-year-old is much, much better at letting her light shine than this 32-year-old.

Yes, life does get more complicated; doubts will surface and challenge that childlike faith. The beauty of the Lutheran tradition -- and my prayer for the kiddo -- is that she can live in the doubts and struggle with her questions, knowing that the God who provides for her and has given her the gift of salvation also gave her the gift of reason. We can use the tools of prayer, Scripture, the aid and encouragement of others and our own mental faculties to grapple with the complex issues life throws at us. We can emerge with a faith tempered by these challenges and doubts and equipped to make our way through whatever we are faced with next.

Meanwhile, I suspect I would do well to follow the 5-year-old's example. After all, it's exactly what Jesus himself advised:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one child in my name welcomes me."
--Matthew 18:1-5