This was the Upper Room Devotional for today.

Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."

-Luke 18:17 (NRSV)


EXTREMELY heavy wind had blown all the autumn leaves off the trees. With the withering leaves hurled into heaps around the garden, the whole area looked neglected and a mess.


The schedule for my busy day was bulging, but I knew I would have to spend precious time clearing up leaves. Matters were not helped when my three-year-old daughter, Lucy, came out and wanted to help me. With little grace, I found her a small broom before rushing back to my own task. After only a few minutes, I turned around to find Lucy slowly picking up leaf after leaf and examining each one closely. As I opened my mouth to complain to her, she spoke first: "Look, Mummy. Pretty!" She handed me a perfect specimen of a golden leaf. Then she rushed around picking up leaf after leaf - yellow, red, purple, pink, and golden brown - exclaiming over each one's beauty and tracing its irregular shape with her tiny finger.


I stood still - and ashamed. I had seen in the leaves only another task in an already over-full day, but my daughter had seen beauty created by God. Lucy had opened my eyes to our loving God's work.


Isn't it amazing when we look at things through the eyes of a child how exciting it can be? I wish I was more like this when it came to studying the Bible. Sometimes I make it seem like a chore which defeats the purpose totally. I will try to do better!