Learn from a child? Who, Me? Not me, Lord! Maybe? Yes!

Learn From a Child

by Geneva Poole

This child had been in my prayers even before he arrived into our lives. He was cute, cuddly, intelligent, and all of the other adjectives one might add when speaking of a grandchild.
God has used this precious one to teach me quite a few lessons, starting when he was a little tot.

He taught me more about Heaven, the real place where Jesus is! Evidently, the Sunday School teacher gave a vivid lesson on Heaven, which marked this four-year-old. He began to talk about Heaven as the greatest place, and expressed a desire to go there, without delay. It made me want to go with him.

In fact, one day he asked his mother, “Mommy, why can’t I go to Heaven now?” Another day, he asked why he could not die so he could go to Heaven to be with Jesus.

What did I learn? To my shame, sometimes Heaven is a remote place, and I just do not think very much about going there. Oh, yes, I am a Christian and I work for the Lord, but do I rejoice over the fact Heaven is a real place and I am on my way there? I wonder if my speaking about Heaven will cause others to desire to accompany me to the eternal abode called Heaven.

This same grandson had heard about the need to received Jesus as personal Savior. In fact, I had done so personally. One day, he evidently had been thinking. He went to his mother and told her he wanted Jesus to come into his heart. With a rejoicing heart, she led her son to accept Jesus. What a privilege!

What grandmother is not thrilled to know of the salvation of even a four-year-old? The greatest lesson came later.

Once saved, this sweet little boy began working on his two-year-old sister. He approached her saying, “Mel, let Jesus come into your heart.” You can probably guess the answer that came quickly from the mouth of the two-year-old. Yes, you guessed it. “No” was her unhesitating reply.

What was good for him, he wanted for his sister. He did not give up very easily, but each time he received a negative response. Preoccupied, he went to his mother and asked her to tell Mel to let Jesus come into his heart. His mother explained that his sister would accept Jesus like he had done when she understood.

How ashamed I become when I am made aware of the opportunities missed to speak to someone about my Savior. As this four-year-old, I want to have the habit of speaking to people about their need for a Savior.

A few weeks later, he was standing by the crib of his month-old sister. His mother walked by the door, and stopped long enough to check to see what her son was doing. He was talking to his baby sister. “Stephanie, would you like to go to Heaven?” Just at that moment, Stephanie moved her head. His little heart was thrilled. He ran to his mother saying, “Stephanie wants to go to Heaven. Oh Mommy, Stephanie wants to go to Heaven.”

How often I become bogged down with good things that I forget to ask those I speak to, “Do you want to go to Heaven?”

Give me a child’s heart, Oh God!

About the Writer: Geneva Poole and her husband Bobby are career missionaries to Brazil. Read more at www.fwbgo.com.