Wisdom from a 5 year-old

I was holding my five year-old daughter as we sang in church a few weeks ago. I often wonder what she is thinking as she listens to the music. On this particular Sunday I didn't have to wonder. She leaned over to whisper in my ear, "Do you know what I like about birthdays?"

"What do you like about birthdays?", I replied.

In true five year-old fashion she smiled and said, "You get bigger and you get to eat cake!"

With that she happily laid her head on my shoulder. I thought the conversation was over until she perked up and asked, "Do you know what I don't like about birthdays?"

I bit, and said, "No, tell me what you what you don't like about birthdays."

She thought for a moment and said, "Your favorite shoes don't fit good anymore."

Let me be the first to acknowledge my parental bias (If you think I'm bad you should talk to her grandparents), but God reminded me of a profound truth through the words of my daughter.

As we grow, things change. Yes, it's exciting to move forward, to celebrate, to grow. But it also means that we say goodbye to some things that were very comfortable to us in the past. I have seen that in many aspects recently. Our church is moving forward. Yes, we're making mistakes as we do it, but the general direction seems to be where God is leading. And as things change and we grow, the old systems of how things were done are suddenly uncomfortable. I'm not saying that they were wrong and we've moved beyond them to more enlightened ways, I'm saying that as churches grow, old patterns are replaced with new ones. And many of the old patterns have fit well and been very comfortable. But growth calls us to move on. To find new "shoes" that fit and that enable us to do all that God has called us to do. I think this may have something to do with what Jesus said about "wineskins".

You know what I like about growth? It means we're alive.

You know what I don't like about growth? Sometimes it can be painful.

That's wisdom, gleaned from my five year old. Out of the mouths of babes.