I Refuse to Grow Up!!

I refuse to grow up, I refuse to get hardened, I refuse to be closed up, I refuse to resist change. I refuse to be captured by tradition; I refuse to settle for second-hand laughter, I refuse to stop expecting wonders and marvels every morning.

I refuse to become dull and colourless; careful and bland, I refuse to become a quiet little mouse, afraid to try anything new. Why? Because I follow Jesus; who always found the most colourful and dramatic way to do things; who found a coin in the mouth of a fish to teach a lesson, who overturned the moneygrubbers’ tables.

I refuse to grow up and settle down and never be open to new truth any more. I refuse to think that I know all there is to know. I refuse to think that this old dog can’t learn any new tricks. I refuse to grow up into deafness, dumbness and blindness.

Most of all, I refuse to grow up and become cynical. I refuse to grow up and become callous. I refuse to grow up to be suspicious of everyone’s motives and wary of everyone’s feelings. I refuse to grow up and be fearful, negative and suspicious.

Why? Because I follow Jesus who puts a child in front of me and says, "Be like this. Have this kind of faith. Have this kind of trust. Just let yourself love and be loved”. I follow Jesus whose great commandment was "Love one another", not "Be suspicious of one another."”

Dearest father, set me free anew every day so that I can learn how to be your child now and always. Amen.

(many thanks to US Baptist Pastor Joseph Smith for the words in this condensed meditation)  

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Mark 10:15