Sometimes it’s good to be a child.  I don’t mean in terms of tantrum-throwing or finger painting (though those might be good too).  I  mean in terms of letting other people care for us.

It’s quite easy in this stage of life to get used to being the person who does the caring and that’s usually a good and rewarding place to be.  Sometimes, though, I think we forget to be children, too.

I love this picture of my husband’s youth leaders who came to visit us a week ago.  They have been brilliant at keeping in touch and it was a real treat to share a meal with them.  What struck me about our conversation was the way they still understood him and were attentive to him and how great it was to experience that care. 

In his book, Love Does, Bob Goff talks about the need for us to be ‘palms up’ rather than having clenched fists.  As a lawyer, he advises his clients to literally keep their hands under the table with their palms up when they are being questioned.  In this position, he says, it’s impossible to get defensive.

Having palms open means that we still don’t have everything sorted, or know all the answers and that sometimes we need someone to care for us, too.  It’s a good way to live and a good way to pray.