AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM
Sunday, August 19, 2012 at 4:11PM
Dr. Payton in TRUST IN YOURSELF, children, faith, trust

My wife and I recently watched [again] the movie "Juno."  It portrays the life experiences of a teenage girl who becomes pregnant and decides to have the baby and give it up for adoption.  The relationship of Juno to her parents, boyfriend, girlfriend and future mother of her baby, are all beautifully portrayed.  After the movie, I thought about "And a child shall lead them."  This is from Isaiah 11:6 in the old testament of the bible and is thought to refer to the second coming of Christ when all pain and suffering is gone and all creatures get along.  I believe that I thought of this because of the wisdom that Juno shows about relationships, love and what is important in life.  She grows in self-awareness [and confidence] and by sharing this with others [eg. by just being herself] she gives others the opportunity to grow in their own self-awareness and be transformed.

My own children and children who have come to me for help, have repeatedly shown me their ability to see things clearly.  I have learned to listen carefully to children and I have gained in my own self-awareness. Children trust themselves [if we don't get in the way].  As adults, we often have to relearn trusting ourselves.  Our children can help us, if we let them.  And a child shall lead them, your child can lead you.

Article originally appeared on Leading Asheville, North Carolina Psychiatrist for over 40 years (http://ashevillepsychiatrists.com/).
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