When I was putting my son to bed tonight, he was telling me that he was scared because of some "scary" show he had watched (a kids show that mentioned a vampire in it) and because Minecraft has zombies in it. Mostly this is just his routine for trying to prolong going to bed. Nevertheless, I told him that God is with him all the time and will protect him. He said, "OK" and I came back downstairs. A few minutes later, he came down, and said, "Daddy, I have an idea for how you can calm me down when I'm scared." So I asked how, and he said, "When you said God is always with me...that's really cool. Just tell me that and it will calm me down."
So I told him he can tell himself that, and that he can pray to God himself to help him not be scared. He said okay, and I said, "Why don't you try it right now?" So he did. He bowed his little head and he said, "Dear God, you are bigger than any zombie or vampire. Please help me not to be afraid. Amen."
Sometimes kids say things (or word things a certain way) that melt our hearts...sometimes because they're cute, but sometimes because they contain deep theological truths that we adults miss. There is a reason that Jesus told us to become like little children (Mt. 18:3). This is often interpreted to mean "innocent" as children are. While that's true, I think it also means, "Keep things simple" like children do. For my son, he doesn't have to know a lot about God or the Bible, or to have some globe-spanning faith that can make mountains move. He just has to trust that God is bigger than zombies or vampires, and that God can help him not be afraid.
I meet more adults who are scared of...whatever...than kids. Adults worry about all kinds of things, and they have fears of completely irrational things (except spiders; that's a completely rational fear!). Even adults who profess, and demonstrate, strong faith in God don't understand this basic yet deeply profound spiritual truth that children often grasp. God is bigger than zombies and vampires. God is bigger than [insert whatever you're afraid of, big or small, rational or irrational, silly or real]. God can help us not be afraid.
This doesn't mean God won't allow anything bad to happen to us. But God does delight when we have childlike faith...faith that asks Him to help us not be afraid, to be "strong and courageous." We are called to be like children in their innocence, true. But we are also challenged to be like children in their simple understanding of God and in our willingness to trust in his omnipotence and his ability to help us overcome our fear.
