THROUGH A CHILDS EYES – Keeping It Simple

When I was about eight years old, my mom and dad decided to send me and my two siblings to Catholic school.  I wasn’t too happy with this change of schools.  I had to make new friends, and I had to wear a dress.  Because the school was approximately three miles away, I now had to ride a bus to school and back as well. 

On the first day riding the bus home, my mom decided to wait for me at the bus stop.  As I bounced off the bus, I pointed to a brown skinned boy and declared with excitement, “Look mom, that’s my new boyfriend!” 

Without missing a beat, as I was waiving goodbye to Robert, my mother grabbed my other hand and began to escort me home.  She said, “Kim, white people and black people don’t date each other.  He can’t be your boyfriend.”

I looked up to her and said, “What do you mean? 

“They just don’t.  That’s the way it is,” as my mom tried to explain.

“But doesn’t Jesus say we're all the same?”

My mother snapped back, “Doesn’t Jesus say to listen to your parents?”

Of course the answer to that question is yes.  But somewhere deep inside, I knew she was wrong, because of what Jesus said . . . “they are yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.” 

Go figure, you send your kid to a Catholic school, and they are taught that we all bleed the same, and Jesus loves everyone. 

We were not taught that there were exceptions to these rules.  Jesus didn’t say, only white people can love white people. 

Then a couple years later, when my parents divorced, I was told by the Church that my mom and dad could no longer partake in communion, which made about as much sense as condemning interracial relationships.   Jesus never laid out any rules regarding the holy act of communion.

Negativity will affect your spiritual well being.

We learn fear from our parents and our elders.  For my mother, it was a fear of being poor.  She grew up in a poor family, and set out with the purpose of disassociating herself from anything related to poverty, including race.

Even church’s incorporate the fear of its leaders - “Well, the bible doesn’t really say that divorcee’s can’t participate in communion, but I think because it is a holy reconciliation with Jesus, that it would only be appropriate.” 

That statement is nothing more than an assumption.  These leaders tend to forget that Jesus preached about forgiveness, the absence of judging people, and loving others as we would love Him.

The U.S. government uses fear to control “We the people,” as well. Fear of losing American jobs; they use the fear of terrorism to fuel the wars in the Middle East, for oil and the access to lay pipelines. 

By the time we grow up, we’re so full of fear that we no longer see the truth for what it really is.  But the truth will reveal itself when we begin to ask questions from the heart.  The heart is a symbol of love.  Jesus is often depicted as having a sacred heart (of love).  When Peter went to Jesus’ defense, with a sword in his hand, Jesus scolded Peter (Matthew 26:52).  Love, love, love . . . that’s what Jesus taught. 

It is pretty much a “Keep it simple stupid” philosophy.  There really is nothing tricky about it.  Love and have fun. Respect others and help them out when they’re needy.  Look at life through a child’s eyes, before you were taught how to hate, or be prideful and envious.  And question everything, just like a kid!

If you are feeling negative in any way, ask yourself, “What is it I fear?”  Own up to it and eliminate that fear from your life.   Un-complicate your existence; shed those chains and return your heart to a time of innocence & Love ~