The Sacredness of Playing

I remember reading about a missionary who devoted his life to a certain people group in Africa.  He was only one of many missionaries to this group, but he soon became their favorite and they were receptive to his message.  Why?  The natives said, “We know that man really loves us because he plays with us.”  He played with them.  Apparently he took the time not only to preach to them, to read to them, even to serve them through building and repairing, but he took the time to simple play with them, engaging in their recreational fun.

I got spoiled all Fall because it hardly rained a drop.  There were probably only two days all Fall where Dutch and I didn’t get to take our long morning walk to the park.  Those walks are my salvation–exercise, fresh air, and a break from reading Curious George and playing trucks.  I get some quiet time to think, then Dutch gets time to run around and let off steam.  December brought two weeks of being  completely snowed in, then one week of me being sick, now another week of Dutch being sick.  We’re close to a month without our daily walks!  And I admit it’s starting to wear on me.  The days can drag on when you’re confined to a small house with a two-year-old who wants YOU to read aloud, wants YOU to get on the floor and make the truck noises, wants YOU to build the fort and get inside.  I wish I could tell you that my favorite thing in the world is playing with plastic tractors and reading Richard Scarry, but it’s not. Way too often I would rather be doing something…well, productive.  Meaningful.

But today as I was lying on the floor playing trucks, I thought about the missionary’s life, and how the key to the gospel going forth in that tribe in Africa was the fact that he played with them.  He layed aside his agenda in order to show them his love in their language.  And I’m praying that God will help me remember that I earn Dutch’s ear by the years I spend on the floor, making truck noises.  The years I spend on the couch, reading Curious George.  I pray for the grace and patience to simply play with people, to join them in what they love to do. I pray that God would help me see the sacredness of playing.