"Faith Like a Child" (Lacy Finn Borgo)

TITLE: Faith Like a Child: Embracing Our Lives as Children of God
AUTHOR: Lacy Finn Borgo
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (176 pages).
 

Jesus taught us in the gospels to welcome the children and not to prevent them from going to Him. Is that welcome only for little kids? Not really. Are adults excluded? Surely not. For the moment we pray "Abba Father," we see ourselves as children of God. Furthermore, didn't Jesus also teach us to be like little children, for such belongs the Kingdom of God? Indeed, the way to the Kingdom is via the attitude of childlikeness. Here's the problem. Many of us who are adults no longer know the significance of childlikeness. We confuse it with childishness. We tend to segregate our understanding of children more in terms of age rather than attitude. Perhaps, the practice of reuniting our hearts with our childhood selves can bring back not only greater innocence but also spiritual wonder. How do we do that? What then does it mean to have faith like a child? Do we have to deny our adulthood in order to go back to childhood? This book is about learning how to cultivate a childlike heart as part of a maturing faith. Author Lacy Finn Borgo first takes us through the Bible to notice the frequency of the word "welcome." As far as God is concerned, He is always welcoming and invites us into His Presence. Borgo shows us the traits of a child such as the capacity for play, wonder, dependence, and a deep awareness of the bodies God had given us. She shares heartfelt gratitude even after a mastectomy, reminding us that we need to avoid splitting ourselves into body and spirit. Whether it is a broken body or a broken spirit, while the world tries to separate them, learning to accept them is a better path toward healing. A grateful heart is one powerful way to unite our restless minds with our broken selves. 

One of the things often forgotten by adults is the need to play. Also forgotten is that God also plays. Using Ps 104 to show us this aspect of God, we see how God's creativity and playfulness go hand in hand. Such a posture brings about joy in creation. Borgo uses stories to show us the need for childlikeness in order to appreciate the spirituality of play. Other aspects include singing, praying, reading, humour, imagination, freedom to learn, and the need to pay attention. Each chapter ends with a few "welcoming practices." 

My Thoughts

Childlikeness has often been a passing thought in the minds of many adults, especially those who have been believers for many years. People being people tend to become creatures of habit over time. Thinking that they have grown up, they do a mental dichotomy that childhood and adulthood are separate from each other. Referring to Jesus' teaching about childlikeness, many tend to limit it to innocence and purity. What is missing is the bridge to help adults move away from a self-perceived sense of implied maturity just because of age and experience.  The problem is this. Some adults behave in childish ways, thinking that they have the right to behave whatever they want to behave. Truth is, the key to spiritual maturity is through the path of childlikeness. This is stressed over and over throughout this excellent book. I do not remember reading a book-sized resource that centers on the need to cultivate childlikeness. Many books talked about childlikeness. Apart from a passing comment or a short reference, rarely is there one that focuses on this childlike attribute. Thankfully, in this book, we get a meaty dose of growing in this aspect of spirituality. Sometimes I wonder. Why is it so difficult for grown people to appreciate the need for childlike spirituality? Can we blame it on a declining birth rate that leads to a declining children's population? Perhaps. Are adults not spending enough time with children? Maybe. What about childless couples or people experiencing empty nests? Churches too are greying communities. That in itself makes it difficult to attract young people and children into their midst. Who wants to go to a Church where adults are stuck-up people, glum, stern, and only talk about stern stuff? Nobody enjoys a stoic environment. Children can perceive the atmosphere quickly whether it is welcoming or not. For that reason, I believe this book is a valuable resource to help us, especially adults of all ages, to rediscover the need to create a welcoming atmosphere and community. 

This book reminds me of the irony of life. The way to maturity is via childlikeness. There are some adults who behave like spoilt brats. There are also young children who show graciousness in their actions. In fact, Jesus reminds us that unless we become like little children, we will not enter the kingdom of God. That is serious stuff. One famous quote (attributed to George Bernard Shaw) reminds us of the connection between aging and playing. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stopped playing." Perhaps, the path to gracious aging is playing. Don't take life too seriously. Learn to laugh, even at ourselves. Keep learning, which is what discipleship is all about. There are many lessons in this book on what childlikeness is. Readers of all ages should be able to benefit. I find the "welcoming practices" sections particularly helpful. Not only do they provide practical things to cultivate childlikeness, but they also serve as a summary of the key concepts in the chapter. 

In summary, the older one gets, the more one needs to learn about childlikeness. Let this book be the guide on not only cultivating our faith like a child but also on how to age well.

Lacy Finn Borgo teaches and provides spiritual direction with adults and children through Renovaré, Mercy Center Burlingame, and the Companioning Center. She especially loves meeting with children at Haven House, a transitional facility for families without homes. She holds a doctor of ministry degree in leadership and spiritual formation and a certificate in spiritual direction from Portland Seminary. Borgo is also the author of Spiritual Conversations with Children. 

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.