The Children Shall Lead Them....

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  -- Matthew 19:14

There are few things in life which test one's spiritual resolve like parenting.  I didn't know what parenting was until my two daughters hit puberty.  Perhaps the most painful part of all is the very rude and "out there" mirror that they stick in your face causing you to see in yourself all the things you don't want to be and swore on all your ancestors' graves you would never do.  It's frighteningly easy to get pulled into a base, unattractive (even ugly) tit-for-tat battle before you even know it.  One such ugly father-daughter shouting match ensued at my house this morning and I find myself in a penitent mood for having lost it with one of my daughters.

"Let the children come to me," -- Jesus never saw them as teenagers!  Yet, in them we can discover our own weaknesses, our own hurts, our own places of conviction for drifting into those arrogant "just because I'm the parent" power trips.  We realize the depths and propensities to forget our flowery untested spirituality and are introduced to our seamier uncharitable side in the awkward, silent, repentant moments following.

Anything that brings us to our knees reflecting on our needs for repentance and the rejoining our spirits brings us closer to the kingdom of heaven.

Prayer
For the occasions that brings us to our knees and closer to You, Oh God.  In Christ's name.  Amen