119 Be Childlike

What social graces should be had and what social graces are a crippling detriment to us showing love. I stood standing one day in the grocery store staring at the shelf looking for what I could not find. A small child had wondered down the aisle from their parent as they did the same as I. Aware that the child was near I looked down at him. Without hesitation he said a big hello. I returned the borrowed hello and before long we had struck up a conversation about something ridiculous. It wasn't long after that the parent scurried up apologetically because social grace would say I was being bothered. I was not bothered, in fact I thought at the time it was nice how friendly kids are, but regardless, the fearful and compartmentalized parent guided their child off to the next aisle. Today I find myself remembering this thinking what would it be like if, as children of God, we cast off these social burdens and simply loved. Like a child loves. Without judgment, without much boundary, with unabashed interest. How would the kingdom of God be affected if our fear were quashed, if our pride was not a factor, if we gave free reign to our curiosity, none of which done in malicious intent, but with the simple honest interested heart of a child.