And a Little Child Shall Lead Them

Isaiah 11:6

The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

Yes, it’s Isaiah again! Not only do I find the text rich in images, I also find others who are inspired by the imagery such as the artist who created this image:

Some of the art has a sweetness that I find cloying like William Strutt's depiction:

And Charles Christian Nahl adds an over-the-top detail with a crown of roses:

I prefer James Johnson's approach that seems a little more life-like.

And Andy Boerger's drawing suits me much more with a little bit of fun thrown in.

When I wonder cynically whether adults carry the innocence of children too far, I'm reminded of infant baptism at Beach United. Once the words of baptism are spoken, we carry the baby throughout the congregation to be greeted by everyone. I have the privilege of seeing faces filled with joy and eyes brimming with tears as they look with delight at a young child being celebrated in our midst. Perhaps we are reminded of the child within ourselves. Perhaps we are renewed in hope.

On the other hand . . . 

 Our Advent Exploration question for today is: What's your sense of a child's place in your life or in our world?