Kids and Heaven

            There’s a pre-school that uses the building in which I have my office.  They’re at the other end of the building, but I always wave to them, and every once in a while I’ll talk to the kids a little bit.

            What I love the most is when they go outside to play.  Some people say music is the universal language, but I think the universal language is children playing.  I suspect the whoops and shrieks and laughter of little kids on the playground sound the same whether you’re in Russia, China, Peru, or the United States.  It’s a wonderful sound.

            My wife, Wanda, likes to say that she thinks that in heaven, it’ll be a lot like when we were little kids.  I think there’s something to that.  Think about it.  Little kids, for the most part, do not spend a lot of time worrying about the future.  When you’re four years old, “the future” is this afternoon.  You’re not worried about paying bills or keeping your schedule or getting things done on time.  You live in the present, and if you’re happy in the present, then you’re happy.  It’ll be time to worry about the future when the future gets here.

            Another thing about little kids is that, a lot of times, they live in a world of wonder.  When you’re a little kid, everything is exciting and new.  Watching ants is fascinating for little kids.  Seeing the leaves blow is fascinating for little kids.  Discovering that you can take a crayon and make a mark on something (including things that are not supposed to have marks on them) is fascinating for little kids.  All these things that we “sophisticated” adults take for granted are wonderful when you’re a little kid.

            Also, when you’re a little kid, you assume that everything in the world is there for you to have fun with.  It doesn’t occur to you that there are some things that are not to be played with, that there are things that are dangerous, that there are things you need to be scared of or stay away from.  You assume everything is there for your enjoyment, and you treat it that way.

            I think all these things are going to be true of heaven.  We won’t have to worry about the future when we’re in heaven.  We won’t have to worry about anything.  Heaven will be a source of constant wonder for us.  We’ll be forever amazed at how incredible and beautiful everything is.  In heaven, everything that exists will exist for our pleasure and God’s pleasure.  We’ll be in an unbelievable state of joy when we go to heaven.

            It’s been said that the reason God does not tell us what heaven is really like is that, if we knew how incredible it really is, we’d be wishing we were there so much that we’d hardly be able to stand our lives on earth.  If so, I’m glad God is wise enough not to tell us, because I very much enjoy my life on earth.  I hope you do, too.  We need to remember the joy that’s coming, though.  Heaven will be a world of wonder, amazement, and incredible joy.

            So, the next time you see some little kids having some fun, watch them for a little while.  Then, imagine being like them, because I think in heaven, we will be.