A Little Time Out

Yesterday at Church we were talking about becoming like a little child. This is a fascinating subject to me, and I often wonder why Christ encourages us to be like a child.

 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3

 37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
3 Nephi 11:37 

13 ¶And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Mark 10:13-16

There are a lot of analogies and reasons, but I heard a new one yesterday and it really hit home for me.

Someone talked about how children are put in time out when they do something wrong. Often the same child is put in time out for the same thing over and over again. The child is not happy. They don't want to be in time out, they can scream and cry and through a fit. But you know what? The parent still loves them. Loves them so much they put them in time out again and again and hope and pray that the child will learn and grow.

And you know what? They do. With time and love and patience and attention the child learns and grows. They stop doing the thing that lead them to time out. Does that mean they don't do other things wrong? No. But they continue to learn and grow and change behavior over time.

What I learned yesterday, in part, is that I need to be more patient with myself. I need to give myself room to learn and grow. To stumble and fall - over the same thing - over and over again. Each time I can, and should, put myself in a little time out (repent) and then I should let go and move onward and upward (forsake and forgive). And all the while know that I am loved.