The Magic Of Faith and Toddler Fears

Perfect love casts out all fear.

What if , you walked around, ran around, met with strangers, knowing that your dad had your back ALWAYS , like you ACTUALLY BELIEVED he was right there beside you and behind you, watching over you?

Upon coming back to Singapore, and seeing how carefree and friendly Aletheia is with strangers and her surroundings, some had said to me that it seems like she doesn't need her mummy! Or that it is a strength but also a weakness cause she might run off with strangers since she is so trusting.

I lay in bed today wondering if she really "didn't want her mummy" today and conversing with the Holy Spirit I felt him say that it was because she had no fear. That we had brought her up so secure and given her so much love and not given her any reason to be afraid. That children, without being taught fear, can be very courageous while being cautious ( though sometimes accidents still do happen but they fall and pick themselves up again ).

We made it a point to never make it a big deal when she falls. We would say, just get up its okay and smile at her. We sing a song we made up , "it's okay, it's alright, Aletheia will fight fight fight! " and laugh cheerfully and she gets up and continues playing.

In the past 2 days staying with family, I noticed something. When my family members worried over her too much and were fearful or her safety over uneven floors and steps and corners and let her know about it, she became afraid. She didn't want to try to walk down the tiny step. She wanted to be Carried over. She froze at the step because everyone shouted with concern over her "be careful!!! It's dangerous!!! Watch it there!!! " till she didn't even want to try and froze with fear. It took awhile at night of me being alone with her around that area and acting like it's not a big deal, showing her how I crossed it with ease and how I had no fear. When she approached it I continued with my her activities and pretended to pay her no attention and she inched toward it slowly and crawled over it. Today she finally walked over it with ease.

This spoke to me... How we instill caution can sometimes instill fear. How can we assist and encourage our children without crippling them with fear when we just want them to "be careful"?

Sometimes in complete love and concern I know that it is commonplace in Singapore for people to say the following ( because they have been said to me as well as a child) -

"Don't run around or you will fall down, sit still don't move "

" don't talk to strangers or they will kidnap you and catch you away "

" don't run around or be naughty or the policeman will come and catch you"

"If you don't .... Monsters will Come and bite you"

"Don't run in the rain or you will fall sick" ( of which only recently my husband emphasized to me that it is really untrue that a few drops of rain on your head would make you sick. But it was so ingrained in me already that I was quite fearful of the rain.)

What if we told them that strangers are people too and that it was okay to go be friendly as long as we were around?

What if we didn't try to make them fearful of strangers, policemen, monsters or random things that we think will help to control them and keep them safe because we ourselves are truly fearful for them out of love ?

What if you knew that your dad had your back and you didn't have to be afraid because you knew he was there to protect you?

Today I was reminded that so many of us and myself forget that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and protects us and is always there for us, watching over us. We have so much fear because we don't understand the perfect love that he has for us. We just don't trust him to be there. We don't trust or believe that he is around and that he is FOR us, so we fear and strive and go on survival mode like we are orphans.

You see, Aletheia isn't always so friendly with strangers. She doesn't just always let anyone carry her. When I drop her off in he care of strangers during church where hey have daycare or bible study, she screams and cries for really long. The thing is, I realized she's comfortable with strangers and doesn't have fear around her surroundings and people because she knows I AM THERE. She's is secure. She is safe. Because I am watching over her, and she knows she can run to me anytime she wants.

Maybe today you are struggling with some fear. Maybe you don't trust people. Maybe you don't trust yourself or your surroundings - but can you trust your father in heaven? He loves you with an everlasting ( meaning unconditionally, forever and ever no matter what ) kind of perfect love!

And when we know that and believe that truly, that's when I think that "magic" of faith JUST HAPPENS.