And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 18:3

The bag hits with a loud bang…

And then slides right off the top of the board.

Another bang…

Another bag hits the board….

It slides up the board to the very edge of the hole…

And stops just before it goes in.

I sigh and throw again…

This bag goes high into the sky.

In my mind I see it landing in the center of the hole without even touching the board.

Down it comes…

Landing without even touching the board…

But not exactly as I had pictured it…

It sits on the grass three feet from the board.

The game is over.

I have lost.

“Let’s play again,” says my wife.  “This is fun!”

We started playing games earlier in the day when I found my wife in the basement with the grand kids…

And a hula hoop…

“You know,” she says while she spins the hula hoop…

“We don’t spend enough time playing like we did when we were kids…”

The grand kids went home two hours ago…

Taking with them our only real excuse to keep acting like little children …

Yet here we are playing games, and having lots of fun

“Why don’t we spend more time playing like little children?” I wonder…

Could it be because we consider ourselves too important?

Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 18:4

Could it be because we don’t really think God will get things done without our help?

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

Could it be because we let our worries, and our sense of self-importance crowd out the spirit of God?

… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…  Galatians 5:22-23

Or could it be because we forget that the greatest title we could ever claim is that of children?

Children of the Most High God…

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…John 1:12