Jesus says that unless you become as little children you will not inherit the kingdom of God. He’s saying this to adults. What He meant is that we must return to the beginning, to our roots, and start again. To get back on the road of our divine destiny, we must let go of the debris, clear the clutter, and begin again with a clean slate, seeking the wisdom of the childlike origin from which we grew. It is taking the risk of living, loving and believing with childlike simple faith and to bring your full self into making the investment of a life worth living. As we let go of the debris, the emotional garbage that has clogged our valves and prevented our functioning at full capacity, we will rediscover ourselves and all those around us will reap the reward of that kind of investments. Clearing debris is not easy and it must be intentional. To let go of the past takes courage, to remove the debris takes persistence, but if you believe that the reward is worth the effort, then let the work begin. How do we return as children and start anew? We find wisdom from the prophet Ezekiel, he wrote, “On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ ” (Ezekiel 16:4–6, NIV). This description shows the birth of a child who doesn’t suffer from abuse but finds himself in a life-threatening circumstance by neglect. Often it’s not only what happened to us that shaped us, but also what did not happen to us shapes who we become. The cord was not cut, means that we are still tied to where we started, unable to break free and live independently as our God intended. The debris of the birthing process was not removed, which is an important cleansing in order for us to proceed to the next stage of life. And since the healing part was not added, we cannot experience a full recovery to health. In spite of this negligence, God said one word, and this is “Live!” No one can go back and change the circumstances from which we were deprived, but it’s never too late to go back and cut your own cord, wash away the debris, get what you need for healing, and be free. All those around you will see the difference when they see your washed-clean self, and notice that you are free from the after effects of the past trauma.
Like a baby who no longer needs the umbilical cord, I challenge you to cut away all the cords of the past abuse and neglect and thrust into your new life with the courage of children. Children speak honestly what they feel, forgive quickly, and then run outside to play. They hug the same mommy who spanked them last night and play with the same friends who made fun of them yesterday. They always engage life with their most authentic selves. It would be amazing if we could be children again. It’s not too late to claim your birthright! This is a great time for you to rediscover who you were meant to be. Like a newborn emerging from the womb, we can find grace in each new day to be born again and again and again. And that’s what makes you wonderful and exciting and interesting. This ability to change and grow and mature is what makes them a valuable asset to their work place, makes them a good companion to another individual, makes them a compassionate parent to a child. Every day holds endless potential because it’s not contaminated with the burden of yesterday. If we apply this principle of rebirth to our lives, then every man would find a new wife in the old one, every employer would find a new employee in the one he has, we would find a new self cleaned and salted because we have a new heart, head, and mind. No matter how old you are, you can be a child again. Eradicating the toxic infection of our wounded hearts is the most urgent need you have. You can take the most important step towards personal healing and advancement right now. It’s not how you start but how you finish the race that counts. Before it’s too late, let it go! It’s time to get on with the real life you were meant to lead. It’s time to thrive. To embrace the life that awaits you, you must let it go!