Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

Mark 9:36-37

Much has been written about the reality of our inner child – that person who I truly am at the core of my being. It is often the person I reject because I learned at some early, formative time in my life the person I truly am isn’t acceptable. So I pretend she isn’t there or shush her when she appears, making her to hide behind the curtain of all that I think I should be. It has taken me a long time to be comfortable with this little girl inside of me.

The scripture for today is interesting to me. I know he was referencing humans of a young age – children – because the culture he lived in did not “see” children. He elevated them to a status of value.

I also know at another level he was referencing the way I come to him. I am invited to come with the humble, dependent, trusting nature of a child. My own grown-upness gets in the way so often. I am so sensible and appropriate at times.

As I read this today, I heard something else he says to me. If I am not willing to receive my inner child, who I truly am, I will have a difficult time receiving Jesus and, therefore, the Father. My knowledge of his love and acceptance for me will be hindered until I make peace with myself.

In the last six weeks, I have made great strides in making peace with myself. As I read the psalms today, I happened upon Psalm 131. This provided me with a picture of how I am sitting these days.

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Israel, put your hope in the Lord—now and always.

Psalm 131

More than any other time, I feel at peace with my inner child. She sits with me quietly and I haven’t had to shush her because there is no one but my family around and she feels safe with them. She has been allowed to BE SEEN in a way I realize she hasn’t been before. And I want to keep her in that place of safety and protection within me.

Maybe this doesn’t make any sense to you and it sounds like mumbo jumbo. That’s okay. I just know that the last six weeks have given space for me to allow who I truly am to be seen, if only by me. And I like what I see.

What about you? How comfortable are you with your true self? Does your inner child get to be heard or is it shushed and quieted for fear of making a scene? I encourage you to accept it! It is who you really are and it’s wonderful!