Charlotte is a soft-spoken 9-year-old who comes to our women’s bible study that meets on Tuesdays at 10 am. She’s homeschooled, so she has the opportunity to attend the study with her mom, and it’s such a wonderful group of women who seek the Lord so deeply that these kids are just drawn to hanging out with us as we talk about the Bible. At some point each week, the older children will sit down and join in to listen to the discussion. They don’t interject; they just listen and observe us. One week, we were discussing hearing from God, and as we wrapped up the meeting, I asked Charlotte if she hears from God. She quickly and quietly answered, “Yes.” I asked her what she hears from him, because I am so curious what a child hears from God. Unfortunately, that day, I’d put sweet Charlotte on the spot and she couldn’t answer me.

A few weeks later, after I’d returned from a trip, missing a study, her mom asked her if she had shared with me what she’d heard from God about the tree…Charlotte comes over and begins to tell me about a tree that was near her house. She explained God had told her where to go in her neighborhood to find a particular tree and gave her a map of where it was. So, she drew a map of where it was according to what God had shared with her. She took the map to her mom, explaining that the tree was shown to her by God, and asked if they could go find the tree.

And they did.

Off a walking path through their neighborhood, Charlotte’s map led them to a tree that was perfect for a swing and to play in. I loved the story. When she finished, I asked her, “Why did God want you to know where the tree was?”

“Because he loves me. I’m special, and he wants me to enjoy it,” replied Charlotte.

WHAT?! I nearly cried at her response. Goodness, if we all knew that about our relationship with God. He wants to give us good things because he loves us, we are each individually and simultaneously His favorite, and he wants us to enjoy this life. Charlotte left the room, and her mom filled in that she had been praying and asking for a tree to play in, and one day she came out with a map. She said they followed the map on a walk and found the tree.

I’m His favorite. Not His best employee, but His favorite child. I have spent so much of my walk with Jesus relating to God as my boss, not my father. I bring all my works to Him and present them seeking His approval, and His approval MUST be His love, right? I feel unworthy and unlovable until I’ve done something that makes me feel like I’ve been a good employee, and I can approach him again, because surely he’s pleased with me right now. Approval and love are different. Love isn’t contingent on me, when I’m cranky, high maintenance, selfish, and self-absorbed, not wanting to “perform” for God - it doesn’t matter, love is still there. Regardless of how hard I work, approval won’t make me feel loved.

When I stepped into this missionary calling a few years ago, I wanted all my works to be what showed His favor and blessing in my life. What’s happened is a long journey of reworking and rewiring my dogma and lies that put God in a box. It was so hard, but what I have learned is that all these things, all these challenges, all these blessings are because he loves me, I’m His favorite, and He wants me to enjoy this life.

Charlotte’s hope for her tree, her open ears to hear God when He guides her to her blessing, and her simple but deep understanding that God loves her have impacted me. A 9-year-old who openly and sweetly loves God without the rules we strap on to who and how God is, is inspiring and a simple truth we all can tie over us as a banner over our lives.

Things are never going to be perfect; current times and challenges prove that life will continue to do what it does in the good and the bad, but there is a truth for all hearts created by God: He loves us, we are His favorite, and He wants us to enjoy it. I challenge myself to hold fast to this truth. The more I do it, the more I understand God’s love for me. Paul writes more than once in his letters a prayer that we would have the power to understand how much God loves us. He continues to show me and guide me into that love. For all the “works” I can do, the better goal He’s got for me is to know and receive how much He loves me. This is the same goal He has for everyone, that we would know Him and that we would understand His great love for us.