Jesus had a lot to say about children while he was on earth. He taught that unless we changed and became like little children we would never enter the kingdom of heaven. I had a lesson in this on Sunday morning.

Our seven year old daughter Tori lost a tooth last week. She always asks “If I pretend to believe in the tooth fairy can I still get a dollar for my tooth?” We always say yes partly because she is so cute and partly because she does her part to preserve some of the magic of childhood for her four year old sister. We are not huge proponents of fairies and bunnies and fat guys in red suits. We always tell the truth when the kids figure it out and ask about their existence. But hey, we both believed in Santa Claus and some think we turned out OK.

Sunday’s sermon was about giving. Prior to the sermon the offering was taken up. As the basket came down our row Tori asked me for a dollar. After she put it in the basket she said to me “that was my tooth money dad”. I was touched by her dollar in the basket because she didn’t decide how much of her dollar to give and she never calculated what ten percent was so that she could tithe. She just put her dollar in the basket because unlike adults she gets that it’s God’s money anyway. We play mental games trying to convince ourselves that our lack of faith with our finances is justified.

Tori’s faith was rewarded this evening with another lost tooth. So I’m on my way upstairs to play the tooth fairy…again.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 18:1-3 (NIV)