Become More Like a Child
Listen: “We’re Going To Be Friends” by The White Stripes
Friends, I want to share something personal. Lately, I’ve been telling my therapist that life just feels awkward. Maybe some of you know what I mean. Since my so called “mid-life crisis,” I find myself completely starting over—work, relationships, my faith, and even how I find community. It’s uncomfortable. Sometimes I feel like a teenager all over again, and honestly, it’s scary. And yet, in the middle of all this awkwardness, I’ve found a new hunger for learning and growing. So maybe, just maybe, there’s a gift in it.
I’ve always loved to learn. Curiosity has always been one of my core values. I’ve spent my life in school, and out of it! I’ve either earned a degree or worked on one every decade—BA, MDiv, DMin, PhD, Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher. But I’ve also been a lifelong reader. My bookshelves groan under the weight of more than 6,000 books, not counting my Kindle collection. And you know, I believe every single person I meet has something to teach me, if I’m willing to ask questions and really listen.
But here’s the thing: when it comes to learning, no one does it like a child. No computer, no adult brain, nothing on earth is as quick to soak up knowledge as a child’s mind. (Not even data crunching machines like AI.) Kids are naturally curious. They learn at a speed that’s almost miraculous. Science backs this up—it’s called neuroplasticity, and the human brain develops at a wild pace, especially through our twenties. (If you want to dive deeper, check out Livewired by David Eagleman.)
Even though young brains are the most adaptable, the good news is we adults still have a remarkable capacity to learn and change—sometimes in healthy ways, sometimes not so healthy. Neuroscience is just beginning to uncover how habits, memory, learning, and even things like meditation or sleep shape our minds. It’s fascinating, and it’s practical.
One of my favorite examples is a video called “SmarterEveryDay: The Backwards Brain Bicycle.” In it, Destin, the host, rides a bike that’s been engineered so the steering is reversed—turn right and it goes left, turn left and it goes right. Destin’s young son figures the bike out in just a few days. Destin himself? Eight months! I even brought a backwards bike to church once, and not one of us grown-ups could ride it even a single pedal turn without tipping over. But with daily practice, we could have rewired our brains and learned. Grown-up brains do learn—they just take their time.
Here’s where I’m going with this: Jesus calls us to become more like children. Not childish, with tantrums or selfishness, but childlike— in wonder, curiosity, faith, vulnerability, humility, discovery, creativity, and adventure. J. M. Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, put it like this: “All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust…. The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”
Remember that moment in the Gospels when parents were trying to bring their children to Jesus? The disciples acted like bouncers—“Jesus doesn’t have time for kids!” But Jesus stopped them. He said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them. For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (Mark 10:13-16; NLT).
Steven Hawking once said, “I am just a child who never grew up. I keep asking these ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions. Occasionally, I find an answer.” I was listening to a podcast recently—Brené Brown was interviewing Dr. David Eagleman, a neuroscientist. They talked about how stretching yourself, stepping into new and awkward experiences, is like exercise for your brain. Learning a new language, a new game, a new sport, or finding your place in a new group—these things keep us young, even if they make us feel awkward. At the end, Brené summed it up: “Staying malleable is staying awkward, brave, and kind.” I love that. Maybe awkward isn’t so bad after all.
May we return to childlike wonder.
Shalom
©realfredherron, 2026
