Have you ever noticed that it is the simple things that carry the most meaning?  There have been many sermons, books and classes that I have attended having to do with God and yet it is the very honest prayer of my six-year-old son that humbles me and serves to remind me of how much I need to learn.

My eldest son's name is Kolin.  I may be slightly biased but I believe God spent a little extra time in creating him.  He is as intense and smart a little boy as I have ever met.  With one look, you can tell what Kolin is feeling.  His huge brown eyes are a picture window to a brilliantly complex soul.  As easy as it is to tell how he feels by looking at him, he does not leave room for error because he will express to you his exact feelings at the very moment he feels them.

If Kolin decides to do something, he gives the task at hand his complete effort.  If he is not interested, it takes almost an act of God to get him to engage in an activity.  There is very little gray in his world.  It is black or it is white, good or bad.   

He has been less than patiently awaiting this fall when it is his turn to go to school.  When his two older sisters school year ended last spring, he automatically assumed that it was time for him to pack his bag and head off on his kindergarten adventure.  He was extremely upset to find out that he had a whole summer to wait. 

Today was the day he had been longing for.  He was finally going to get to go to school. 

Last night, before he went to bed, I prayed with him. 
"God help me to be good" was part of his prayer.

The bible says that the Holy Spirit takes our prayers and translates them to God.  I wonder if those words needed any translation? Out of the millions of prayers being brought to God, I wonder if that one especially touched God's heart.

We all pray "God bless me, meet my needs, heal me or someone I love..."  I bet it is very rare that God hears "Help me to be good". 

There was such a pure honesty to his request.  He was going into a situation to him that was "the great unknown".  Although, he had such great anticipation for this, there was still a quiet fear behind his words. 

He didn't pray for God to change the circumstance.  He prayed for God to help him rise to the challenge that was before him. 

Countless times I have prayed, "God fix this problem, make this circumstance work for my benefit".  My son prayed for God to make him into the person he needed to be for what lay ahead.

Sometimes it is the simple things like the sincere prayer from the heart of a child that changes us and serves as example of how we are to live and relate to God.