16th Sunday after Pentecost

Mark 9:30-37

So innocent
So pure
The gentle face
Looks up
With a trust that has not been betrayed
And talks of purple cows
And green giraffes
This one
This little child
Understands the world in a different way
Understands that
To stop the arms race
People have to stop making arms
Understands that
Skin color
Makes a person as different as
Eye, hair, or clothes color
Understands that
Hungry people need food
Children understand these things
Because
They have not learned to be afraid
They have not learned to win or lose
They have not seen
Or believe in
The boundaries
That everyone else thinks they have seen
And believe in
For them
Life is an open book
With no writing
--no limits
and they can be hurt
but they trust in love anyway
when they hear God loves them
they just smile
and know