Liberate Your Inner Child

“Bang!”

Two trucks smash into each other in the parking lot. My two-year-old daughter and I watch as the truck that was hit pulls back and parks next to the other. The two drivers get out. They exchange words and then insurance information.

My daughter turns to me and asks, “Mama, are they going to hug?”

I smile and ask her why would they do that.

“To make it better,” she says sweetly, and then adds, “Kiss car to make it better too, mama!”

I laugh out loud!

If only problems had such simple solutions, what a world we would live in.

I look around the earth and see humanity bound up in pain and loss, cruelty and injustice. We too often bring hate, cause pain, enslave and reject, ignore and condemn one another.

Life is not meant to be this way and neither are we.

We are not always the beautiful, lovely, creative, peacemaking humans we were made to be.

But that inner child is there, the one that sees like my daughter sees.

Jesus knows this and and I see his desire to liberate our inner child when I read his bold words:

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

“Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” -Luke 18:17 MSG

This kingdom is in our midst if we will see it. The art of being a child needs to be renewed within us. We are meant to live a little more like children.

Maybe that means seeing simple solutions like my daughter. Being a little more unrealistic and compassionate.

Maybe it means believing with wonder and simplicity. Being a little more curious and free.

Maybe it means having the imagination to see abounding possibility. Being a little more creative and risky.

We all need to be a little more childish.

And maybe the liberation of our inner child could bring about loving solutions for our world’s problems. I have heard it said that inventions and solutions that serve and better humanity are often birthed from child-like creativity.

“Violence is for those who have lost their imagination.” -Shane Claiborne

What if we need more child-like imagination? Do we dare to imagine? Does violence have to be our story? What if we could dream up different solutions?

What if we weren’t held down by the idea of needing to be realistic?

What if creative and “childish” answers are the solution?

What if hugging could really make everything better?

My daughter and I love watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. In one episode, the neighbors come up with a simple and creative solution to a problem.

King Friday becomes suspicious of everyone in the neighborhood. He believes that anyone and anything could be hiding something malicious. Even a cake made for him by a dear friend is inspected and broken apart in search of dangerous hidden items.

Borders and barbed wire fences are put up around the castle and check points are put in place to monitor movements. The neighbors feel hopeless.

But then they come up with the idea to write messages of love and understanding and attach those messages to balloons. They float the balloons over the barbed wire fence and into the King’s castle in hopes of bringing peace.

At first, the King orders the balloons be fired upon, but once the guards notice the messages, the King reads them and his heart is moved. He opens back up to trust and takes down his walls. The kingdom is at peace and the neighbors celebrate!

Of course, this is simplistic. And I do recognize that it probably wouldn’t work in reality. But what if it did? Have we ever been willing to try something so childish and simple?

What if we were brave enough to try things that didn’t make sense?

What if we need to listen to ideas from children?

What if kissing a damaged car could make it better and hugging each other was all it took to reconcile?

I will take sharing love over “being realistic” any day.

How about you?

What If

What if Jesus really meant what he said about loving our enemies …to literally turn the other cheek …to literally bless them

What if Jesus really meant what he said about becoming like children …to simply believe …to creatively imagine

What if we dropped blessings instead of bombs? Could imagination end our qualms?

What if we exchanged weapons for water guns and blasted each other in the face? Could the water wash away our anger and our hate?

What if we wrote love letters to rude neighbors next door? Could warm words melt cold hearts and end our petty wars?

What if we tickled our enemy until we both laugh so hard we cry? Could we then sing out, “No more need to die!”

What if we floated balloons of unity and love across border walls? Could peace and understanding be found between all?

What if we could escape the mindset that only sees in black and white? Could finding healing and connection in the grey be alright?

What if we stopped believing that violence can lead to peaceful days? Could we re-imagine solutions and find creative and loving ways?

What if love is more powerful than we could ever dare to imagine? What if compassion is simply the answer.

What if we dared to think differently? What if we were brave enough to be unrealistic?

What if we had the courage to liberate our inner child?

What would we see? Who could we be?

Breanna Lowman 2020