Molly may I?

“I have told you this so that my joy may be complete in you and that your joy may be complete.”  John 15:11 NIV

     So we had a beautiful experience this past weekend, baptisms.  I remember being baptized when I was around 11 or 12.  The church I grew up in had a large velvet curtain at the front, right behind the choir and the pulpit.  I remember we were not normally allowed to look behind that curtain until you were actually being baptized.  Once you were allowed to stand in that water and look out toward the people, it felt a little intimidating.  

     This past Sunday it was not intimidating.  If you have ever felt joy in a room you would have recognized it.  The first person to go was an 11 year old girl.  I do not know her at all, but she looked radioactive – big bright smile and just happy.  Maybe 10 people followed her, but how do you follow the joy of a child?  How about with the joy of an adult. 

     One of our good friends, a mom of three children who exude their own level of joy, got baptized.  The look on her face is one I don’t want to forget.  Work was gone.  Bills were gone.  Stress of any kind was gone.  She lit up the room.  It was a beautiful thing to behold. 

     I have been thinking this week about the entire assembly of people.  Everyone was happy and I think for a bit completely focused on the joy in the room.  I think we should let ourselves feel like Molly more often.  Childlike faith is a worthy goal and really just less complicated than we make it.

     We have to work.  We have to take care of the responsibilities we have.  We have to take care of the people we love.  But we do not have to be so busy that we miss joy. 

     I talked to her on the phone today and told her I was thinking about writing this down.  She may have thought I was joking but technically speaking I did ask her, “Molly may I?”.  I just want to tell her to keep it up.  I want to tell her that literally every time I go to the office she makes my day better.  I am proud of the way she approaches life.  She makes me feel joy every week. 

What kind of emotion do I bring into the room?  I think I need to be more aware of the childlike  joy in me. 

What kind of emotion do you bring into the room?  Maybe take a minute to remember the kid in you.

Challenge:  We all have obligations and work to do.  But we all have childlike joy to find.  We can have the joy of a kid, like Molly.

Rick Claiborn