Be a Playful Christian

Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is to remain an artist once we grow up.” That can be applied as our attitude in Christian life.

I love to asked people questions. One of my favorite questions these days is: ‘Do you still have a “child” within you?’ When I asked children obviously their answer is a resounding yes. When I asked my teenage cousins, about half of them said yes and the other not sure. But when I asked my grown up friends, they either think that my question is nonsense or they would just smile and walk away (or change topic). Only one or two would dare to say yes, even that was said hesitantly. Where is our childhoodness?

Jesus loves children (just read Matthew 18 and Mark 10). Whenever I read the gospels, I realized that Jesus always took children in His arms and placed His hands on their heads and blessed them. Children have a way of approaching life with delights. Children simply see the world as fresh, with wonders, carefree, full of adventure and have simple faith. Jesus loved this quality in children, and He urged His followers – the adults – to follow their example. Be grown up in our thinking but be like children in our faith and attitude. Be like Children in these things.

One particular attitude of children that I like to see in Christians today is: to be playful. A boring Christian – in my judgment – is sinning against our neighbors. A boring Christian doesn’t glorified God. We must know how to have fun and delight in everything we do. We must learn how to be playful. One day when my boss felt that she needs a break from her busyness, she would call some of the staffs in office, locked the door and play Monopoly games! She is most spiritual person I ever know, and yet, she is playful! What an example for me to follow.

Let’s learn to play again. The important thing is to do it for its own sake. If you play football or basketball or badminton, do it just to enjoy the game, not try to be professional like David Beckham or Michael Jordan or Dato Lee Chong Wei. Play card game; play hide and seek with children; buy a yo-yo; running with dog; dress up like superhero (mine is Superman!); play plasticine clay and make some figures; play snooker, go bowling with family and friends, etc.

Persecutions are sure for Christians but let’s not make life harder.

Let’s play sometime and enjoy life as it is. Be like Children again.

C.S. Lewis writes, “It is the duty of every Christian to be as happy as possible.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.