Conversation overhead -
Speaker A - "I have a phone, I'm bigger than you are."
Speaker B - "You don't even know the password."
I am still shaking my head and laughing.
Speaker A lives next door and is less than 3 feet tall.
She might be 4 - perhaps.
Her and her little sister were standing on the curb taunting B.
Speaker B lives across the street.
She regularly shows up to 'help' me when I am outside.
She is small for her age - about 5 ish.
She yelled her comment, arms akimbo, from an opposing curb.
She is a tiny bit bigger, and older.
No phones were visible.
They were just talking smack.
ALREADY???
Seems kind of silly doesn't it?
Kind of childish?
Clearly, Speaker B wants to do something that needs a password she does not have. I wonder at that. Just beginning school but already so wise as to know the worth of a 'password'. There is the key to everything - just knowing what is needful to access and pass beyond the measures that keep out the unprepared or foolish.
So wise, she is already!
Speech A makes me ponder the intrinsic value children perceive in a phone. I remember when my 3 year old grandchild began to try to 'see' everyone that 'phoned'. Her parents have a smart phone and she loved to skype on it. What is it worth to be able to talk with someone? To hear what they have to say? And perhaps even see them?
What would it be worth to talk with God?
If he answered my 'call' what value might that have?
What if I knew a 'pass' word to take me into Heaven?
Each of us wants to be 'bigger' and 'better'.
We long to be prettier, richer, smarter, or nicer - than someone.
What did you do today to prove you are 'better' - etc.
How would the world change if I tried to prove you are 'bigger' and 'better'? That you are prettier, richer, smarter, or nicer? That you are at least as good as I am. That is not impossible - is it?
What if I treated you like a decent, competent human being? Even when you aren't. What if I validated your existence - gave recognition to at least some small part of you? or something I see you do? or hear you say?
"And I think to myself ... what a wonderful world!"