Safe In His Arms

     A young boy was out walking with his father.  He and his father were having a really good time laughing and talking.  Every now and then the young boy would get about 20 or 30 yards ahead then slow down so that his father could catch up.  During one of these moments when he would get ahead of his father, a dog came from behind one of the houses in the neighborhood.  The young boy became frozen with fear.   He didn’t run. In fact, he was so afraid that he couldn’t move, couldn’t yell or cry out for help.  The dog barked frantically, but didn’t attack.  When the father had gotten close enough, the young boy leaped into his arms and buried his face in the father’s chest.  It was as if you could feel the fear dissipate.  In no time at all the fear had been replaced with a certain sense of security that comes in knowing that you are safe.  The boy lifted his head and looked at the dog with a “haha, you can’t get me” kind of look, then buried his face back into the father’s chest.  Although the dog was still there, barking, just being in his father’s arms made all the difference in the world to the young boy.  He was safe.  As long as he was in his father’s arms nothing could harm him.  “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me:  for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14.   And he said:  “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3.   There is so much to be learned by just watching children.