Let’s be honest. I don’t exactly dream about my next birthday. And at my stage in life, I don’t want to get taller or bigger. But watch a baby who has just learned to stand with the help of a chair. He is overjoyed with his new feat. His face lights up with his higher view of the world around him. The contentment with his novel ability lasts for a short time, though. He longs for more. Soon he rises up on his tippy toes. Stretching, reaching, striving for more. In no time at all, he’s climbing onto the chair. 

How about the toddler who has just started walking? She loves taking her first steps, but not for long. Soon she’s on to running. Most kids have a stage in which they run everywhere they go. Sprint to get their shoes. Sprint to get to the other side of the room. Sprint to the door. Always racing themselves, pushing their abilities. Always on a mission. Always stretching for more. Eavesdrop on a group of big kids, and you’ll realize that they all want to be the oldest, the fastest, the biggest, the smartest, the highest jumper, and the strongest. Always looking forward to the next step in their development. 

Jesus Christ famously said we ought to be like little children to enter the Kingdom of God, and I believe there are many avenues that we could take this advice. As I watch my kids strive for their next milestone, I have to ask myself, “Am I this eager in my spiritual growth?” Do I daydream about being more mature or producing more fruit? Do I feel giddy by the mere thought of growing older in the faith? Am I like a child, longing to grow, wishing I was bigger, better, stronger, faster? 

Growth happens naturally for children. They don’t have to tell their brains to develop or their bodies to get bigger. Kids don’t have to command their cells to multiply or their bones to lengthen. It just happens because that’s what God designed kids to do. With Christ’s admonition to become like a child, I ask myself, “Is spiritual growth natural for me?” Is it in my nature to always produce more spiritual fruit, to constantly strive to reflect Christ? Do I start each day with the desire to grow closer to Him, to develop the character traits He wants me to possess? Do I want to grow spiritually in the way that children delight in growing bigger?  

I think all parents have been astounded to see how much food children require. Even those kids who don’t eat huge amounts at a time still need an ongoing supply. Constantly needing more. There’s the baby who can eat every hour, the toddler who wants a snack minutes after a meal, and the preschooler who needs a bag of food for every outing, no matter how short or how soon after mealtime. Moms get a break from snack preparation when elementary aged children can whip up their own food, but then we frequently receive the shocking news that we’re out of bread. Already. Again. The yogurt is empty. Somebody already ate all the clementines. The bananas are gone. Poof. The adolescents in my home would love to have a conveyor belt of endless simple carbs. They seem to always be hungry. So much for cleaning the kitchen. They’re eating again. And no wonder they need vast amounts of food. Look at how fast their bodies and minds are changing. Stretching. Growing. Reaching for the next milestone. 

If I want to have spiritual growth at the rate of a child’s physical growth, it’ll take an endless stream of spiritual food. Do I crave God’s word and long for time spent in prayer? Do I have an insatiable hunger for the Bible? Of all the ways that we could apply Jesus’ encouragement to become like children, I think their constant hunger and constant growth are a vivid lesson for moms. We’ve spent so much of our lives nourishing their bodies. We’ve gathered the food, whether from a garden or grocery store, we’ve planned and prepared the meals, and our chapped hands are evidence that we’ve cleaned up after the meals. We’ve scheduled activities and trips around when they’ll be hungry next.

Moms are more aware than anyone of children’s need for food and their desire to grow. Always hungry. Always growing. Always reaching for the next level. And that’s exactly how God wants my spiritual growth to go. 

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I know this mini-series of blog posts specifically about motherhood and homeschooling is quite a bit different than my usual posts, but if you know a mom who would appreciate this article, please share the encouragement 🙂