My children who are three and four have never asked about God. It is remarkable because they asked questions about most things. It is all the more puzzling because God is around in our home. Which you must not misunderstand to mean that we are particularly religious. We take God for granted and assume that He will care for us regardless.
I puzzled over months on how I would introduce God to my boys. I considered writing a book. I took them Sunday school at our Church and hoped for the best. The best was wonder at Jonah and the Whale and awe at David's chopping off Goliath's head. Of Jesus there were passing mentions but nothing that came close to what I thought was “understanding.”
Living For Today
I prayed but seemingly with no results. My boys live with total acceptance of what the day may bring. They don't worry at all. They live for each moment fully knowing that their needs will almost be fully catered for. The do not worry about tomorrow. It is as if tomorrow does not exist.
Fascination and Fears
They are extremely worldly. They are thoroughly impressed by sleek cars, excavators and those large cranes you see on building sites. Nature's beauty which is abundant in our island of Java has little impact with them. The more awesome spectacles of volcanoes, monsoon storms, tropical jungles, raging rivers and some of the wilder animals they have seen (outside the zoo) frighten them.
Differences Forgiven
They have no sense of discrimination. Never separating good people from the suspicious.
Totally insensitive to what color they maybe or what language they may speak. They seem to take to everyone and anyone in spite of our pleas to be careful.
They fight with their peers and with one another but forgive time after time, immediately after the fracas In return they also expect to be unconditionally forgiven. They bear no grudges or harbor bitterness and therefore don't seem to absorb any warning signals against future associations with dubious sorts. Or learn how to select their friends with more care.
Pride Nor Prejudice
Pride does very little to dictate their lives. For that matter, neither humility. Nor shame. They simply go boldly where sensible adults fear to tread. They lack ambitions and envy is often superceded quickly by the wonder and surprise of an exclusive discovery.
They lack any sense of revenge. Wrongs against them by bigger children or even their peers are forgotten as fast as the next hour.
Love and Caring Accepted
From me and my wife they expect absolute caring and love. They have a tremendous capacity to love which often spills outside their immediate family. I don't know about the caring. They do take so much for granted. They demand. They object. They throw tantrums. Fortunately these don't seem to last more than a few minutes.
When they are particularly mischievous, shout, cry and sulk, they expect us to go after them and carry them back on our shoulders.
Their moments of joy are frequent. Sometimes these moments are undecipherable to adults but a pleasure to observe.
The find Church boring, tedious and react by fidgeting. The churchyard and the view outside are more intriguing. They do however seem to accept that we adults need to worship this way at least once a week.
Good With Triumph
They have no sensible plan for the future. My elder son wants be Ultraman and fight evil
Monsters he has no doubt roam the world. His younger brother has similar ideals. They have started a collection of an arsenal of paraphernalia which they expect will come in useful in time.
The suspect that there fearsome problems in parts of the world but have no doubt that these problems will be fixed if by no else by the Power Rangers. Their faith that the forces of good will triumph is absolute.
They pray respectfully to Jesus and expect all their wishes to be granted and their thanks giving be gratefully accepted.
I am reminded that the Kingdom belongs to such as them. Perhaps it is they who are introducing me to God.
