"Happy Summer!"

Our granddaughter, Eloise, has a beautiful and fun-loving sister, Charlotte, whom she adores! Charlotte is eight years old and prefers to go by the shortened version of her name, Char. She is the youngest child of her family and has lots of energy and cuteness! We have seen her in action at gymnastics demonstrations. I can personally attest to Char’s athleticism. She can sprint about “faster than a jackrabbit” in sandals and then kick them off and upward with unusual ease and force! 😊

"A child shall lead them"

Char is a cheerleader for the happiness of others. At the end of the school year and the beginning of June, she went to work on her chalkboard easel. She creatively sketched a message with images that embrace the summer season. Then she carried the message board out to the sidewalk to encourage all those passing by her house. Sometimes, you’ll see a lemonade stand in front of a house, but this time, it was just a simple and positive message: “Happy June! Happy Summer! From Char.”

Upon reflection, I think the images of a warm spikey sun and a big heart of love in the center of the board both communicate happiness, too! And with her signature so prominent, you can see the pride in personalizing this message. This adds further emphasis and emotion. Char seems to be saying, “I’m happy!! Won’t you be happy, too?”

There is a Messianic affirmation in the Old Testament that has become a popular expression, “And a little child shall lead them all.” (Isaiah 11:6, NLT). The context is important as a vision for the future. The prophet sees a day and time when peace, harmony, and safety will reign in the earth. There will be such tranquility that it will impact creation so that “wolf and lamb will live together, the leopard will lie down with the baby goat, and the calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion.” Then the closing emphasis describes the world as like the innocence of a child.

I saw an older sport’s clip recently that showed Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago White Sox enthusiast, speaking to a group of young people on the southside. He offered this simple, but hopeful blessing and entreaty, “We need you!” And we do need the hope of our youth for a better day! The Second Coming of Christ at the end of this present age is taught in Scripture. It is that new day of hope, unity, and goodness we need! We long for that transformation that will recapture the idyllic setting of Eden at the beginning of creation and human history.

The Lord’s Prayer invites believers to pray to the Heavenly Father, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We cannot completely know what that new heaven and new earth will look like. I get a warm feeling every time I picture in my mind the times when Jesus blessed the little children and taught the disciples that "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" little ones. (Mark 10:14).  I have a feeling that childlike innocence, trust, and dependence may be part of the guiding influence needed as we journey toward a future better way of life.

God bless the little ones! Let’s love, protect, and emulate them! And be happy, too!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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