The Hug Of A Child

I entered the church doors and was greeted by my friend.
She was sitting there patiently waiting to open the door for the women.
Since our church has a preschool and an Academy, the doors are locked during the day.
She waits and serves in her quiet way.

She sits at her post, so that the women coming to Bible study will not have to wait.
She is the unofficial greeter with her quiet spirit and her enveloping hugs.
My friend is so tiny; I tower over her frame.
Yet there is not another person who can hug as warmly and as genuinely as she.

As we talked for a few minutes before going downstairs, I saw her.
A little girl from our church.
She was the youngest of four children, with three brothers before her.
She is now a big sister, since her mom just had another baby.

I see this little girl at church each Sunday, but yesterday she seemed so much older.
What is it about the youngest child once a new baby arrives?
They seem to grow up overnight.
The go from a baby to a giant in the blink of an eye.

I remember that about each of my children when I brought the newest baby home.
I left “my baby” to have a baby.
I was astounded at how large their hands seemed to be when compared to the newborn.
They seemed to grow inches overnight as if to grow into their new role.

The little girl I saw at church is usually very quiet.
However, yesterday was different.
I waved to her from across the lobby.
She came running, with that; I’m going to hug you, determination.

I got down to her level.
I wanted to catch her as she came bounding towards me.
She gave me the biggest hug.
My goodness, what a big hug! I said with my arms around her. And who is this?

Bear Bear, she said with a twinkle in her eye.
Her bear was obviously her favorite thing.
Velveteen would have been an appropriate name since this bear was well loved.
Can I give Bear Bear a hug?

Before I knew it, the bear was thrust in my arms.
I loved on the bear.
Her wide smile and bright eyes told me she approved.
As quick as her bear was thrust upon me, it was taken away and given to my friend.

I was greeted twice.
Each greeting brightened my day.
There is something about the hug of a child that is especially wonderful.
There is something about the hug of a friend.

I was shopping at my favorite store, ready to go through the check out line.
I spotted a friend and her youngest son two people ahead of me.
Her son saw me first.
She laughed because we each love this particular store and always see each other there.

We also see each other at church.
Her son gave me one of his impish smiles, the smile that melts my heart.
We talked between shopping carts and people.
I knew that she had other things to get done that afternoon, so we said our goodbyes.

I turned to unload my cart and felt the impact.
This little boy ran from his mother, back to me and gave me a hug.
It caught me wonderfully off guard.
Bye, he said and ran back to him mother.

This same little boy was at my house a few weeks ago with two of his brothers.
They stayed with me while their mom took their oldest brother to get his braces.
All morning, I had the sounds of boys in my house again.
It was wonderful.

That day, after I made each of the boys their lunch, they went back downstairs to play.
The youngest one got up from the counter last.
He walked towards the basement door and turned towards me.
That same impish smile brightened his face.

Bye, he said, much like he said to me in the store.
Not goodbye, cause I’m just playing, he announced as he walked down the stairs.
He came back up.
I love you, he said as he walked back downstairs to play with his brothers.

At this time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1-4)

I know what Jesus means.
Adults are so proper and try so hard to seem as if they have it all together.
Adults worry about what other people think of them.
Adults are more guarded in showing the way they really feel.

But a child is different.
A child will run with wild abandon just to give you a hug.
A child will easily say, I love you, and mean it from the bottom of their heart.
A child will hand you their prized possession without a care in the world.

You know where you stand with a child.
They tell it exactly like it is.
That was my mother’s litmus test.
If a child or a dog likes you, you’re OK.

I asked her what she meant by that comment.
Children and dogs always know the real character of a person.
You can’t fake it when you’re with a child or a dog.
They always know.

I have found her litmus test to be true through the years.
There is not a hint of pretense in the love of a child.
They are about as real as you can possibly be.
Their real-ness forces you to be real or go into hiding.

Jesus knew what He was talking about.
Not a hint of pretense.
Just humility and honesty.
If you want to be great in Jesus’ eyes, then you must become like a child.

I was greeted twice with a hug that warmed my heart.
The hug of a child.
The hug of a friend, with her childlike wonder that Jesus finds so precious.
I was hugged by greatness in the lobby of my church and I was blessed beyond measure.