Field Trip!

I just bought the U.K. first edition of G. K. Chesterton’s “Orthodoxy” (amazing!). The way he tells his story of how Christianity began to make sense to him and the way he describes the attributes of it that appeal to him, makes you want to be a child again. His chapter “Ethics of Elfland” is singularly the most influential chapter of literature I have read (with the rest of the chapters right behind probably). It makes you think the only proper way to look at Christianity is through a child’s eyes.

As I was leaving school today, I saw a class of probably first graders - most likely on a field trip - crossing the street. Every three kids had an adult with them but it seemed merely as a security, not so much an actual presence. Some of them had interlocking arms skipping together, some had their hands tightly held by others (adults and children alike), others were bold enough to just stay near others. I saw little guys with smiles ear to ear and glasses too big for their faces (I could have sworn it was me at that age), other boys were looking around aimlessly, little girls had long, flowing hair in bows and were, even at that age, much more civilized but still too childish to know the difference. As the light turned red and the white man in a box told us we can walk (I could have walked before it turned red between the traffic surges but I felt like my reputation and testimony would be ruined to encourage such behavior), I watched them as two boys surged a couple of feet ahead trying to jump on each white line like the black street was hot lava. With each jump one kid yelled out “Hop! Hop! Hop!” I just had to smile! I wanted to follow them but I refrained thinking I would be considered some pedophile (how sad is it that you can’t enjoy the company of a kid anymore without weird looks?) It was a sight that will lighten up my next week!

I’m now listening to Joanna Newsom because she is a child. I told a friend yesterday off the top of my head that I can’t get out of my head. She said that she can’t find men, only boys. As I pondered that I just asked her, “Do you know what a man is? I don’t even know what it is.” I went on to say that I think being a man has little to do with being “grown up” or mature. Sure we should be mature in faith and so on (although Christ said that means to be like a child) but Christ did say if we want to be in His kingdom we must be like children. What that entails I’m not quite sure, but I keep thinking about it. I have a feeling it goes beyond having child-like faith. And what exactly child-like faith? It is not ignorance, so it is not knowledge-based. I have a feeling it is more perspective-based. But I am convinced that to be like a child is to be closer to God. Judaism doesn’t even regard children as sinful; children are a innocent and represent redemption. They are the most important age. Although I’m convinced that a child is not innocent in a state of morality or the soul; they are innocent in perspective. They have yet to find out “being bad” is in everyone else. They’re not skeptical yet – they see things as they are given to them, and understand and expect, for instance, that an infinite, all-powerful God will have a fish swallow a man. Why not? It is the “grown up” who will still be skeptical and find ways around that. I think this is a part of it but these are merely thoughts. I’ll look into it.