Playtime
I was reading a book recently and the protagonist paused with distress over a question asked by her classmate of their teacher: “When did you stop playing?”, was the haunting question. Many years ago I realized that play is part of God’s heart for His people. I believe that play is an outcome of God’s abundance and joy. Play gives a glimpse of God’s design for the life He intended for his creation. Further, it is an expression of celebration and praise. It is a gentle reminder that God is the happiest most joyful being and when we play we actually see some of the attributes of God’s character.
Zechariah 8:5 says, “The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” The Bible states that part of regular life in the kingdom will be boys and girls playing in the streets. I remember my kids playing with their friends and all the sounds and laughter. I even remember my own childhood and the playtime on the streets of Calabasas. Seeing kids at play can stop me in my tracks. I stand to watch and get lost in the moment, trying to record the images in my mind. At my age, I know how fleeting this time is, and I want to cherish and honor it. I am not done playing, no matter how old I get! I may not be running around with a squirt gun or playing hide-n-seek; I may not be swinging high in the air or jumping on the trampoline; I may not be skipping rope or trying to climb a tree, but I still love to play.
The thing that amazes me is about this little verse is the reality of God’s heart for his people is not just for some kids to be able to play—like a group of boys playing catch or a couple of girls playing dolls—the streets are filled with children at play. God is a God of abundance, and this verse demonstrates both an abundance and a completeness of His creation at play. It is what his desire is for all of us!
Our culture has created a misconception that play is not for adults; we are to leave it behind in our childhood. Unfortunately, we are “taught” that when we laugh and play we are not being serious or productive; We are taught to “grow up” and that Peter Pan is a narcissist at best. And yet, Pan is a great reminder to hold onto the important task of play for all of life. Playing is a vital tool with which we should never lose touch. When we were children our primary means of learning about the world came about through play.
When we play together we can learn so much about one another. It is a great leveler and creates comfortable relational climates. Play often changes perspective and offers creative solutions to puzzling problems. Play is so important for healthy development and keeps high levels of neoteny, which is what keeps us young! Through play we quite literally become as a child again, and by doing so we become more empowered and more invigorated in all aspects of our life. Play allows us to open up and question concepts, beliefs and assumptions that we perhaps were not even aware we held, offering us opportunities to deepen our understanding of ourselves, others and the world we share together.
I think this is what Jesus meant when he talked about childlike faith. Jesus said clearly that it is only through coming to him as a child that we can enter the Kingdom! On a side note, childlike and childish are two different ideas with the latter focusing on immature, negative and irrational behavior. Childlike is the opposite and is positive, focusing on sincerity and wonder. Childlike refers to admired traits, whereas childish describes unwanted behaviors. For me childish means black and white rigidity and childlike means learning to see in living color. CS Lewis, who wrote playful allegories, said that young things ought to want to grow, but the focus on being grown up just because it is adult is arrested development. Putting away childish things does means putting away the fears of childishness!
When Tibby and I started Jest in Time, we wanted to help others embrace laughter and play. By doing so, they would stumble into God’s presence. They would reconnect with Jesus in fun and creative ways. Play is an expression of God’s presence in the world; one clear sign of God’s absence in society is the absence of playfulness and laughter. Play is not an escape (only); it is the way to release the life-smothering grip of busyness, stress and anxiety. I have actually found playfulness to be an expression of hope. It helps me remember that even in the darkness, there can be internal glimmers of light that remind me of a bright tomorrow. Further, playfulness builds creativity and curiosity, which deepens a relationship with the Creator in whose image I am made! Perhaps playing together might even be seen effectively as worship!
I am on a ramble – perhaps I will joyfully continue one day – but for now I will land on the reason I started this thought – Happy April Fools Day!