"He Leadeth Me" from a child's eyes

As a young child I probably learned to read from a hymn book.  My Grandmother loved to sing hymns and I vividly remember her comforting songs.  Today in church we were singing the hymn "He Leadeth Me; O blessed thought!"  As we were singing, in the row across from me sat a young man about the age of 6.  The first verse of the hymn goes as follows:

"He leadeth me; O blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate'er I do, where'er I be, Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me."

As I was singing I kept hearing something that just didn't sound right.  So I paused for a few words until I figured it out.  As I looked over at the boy he was laid back in the church pew, with his leg across his knee and the hymnal in his lap.  The odd sound I was hearing was coming from him.  He was singing very loudly, off key, the wrong words but very proudly.  At first I wondered why no one said anything to him, but then I listened carefully to what he was singing.  He probably couldn't have read the tough words of the traditional hymn so instead he proceeded to sing his own song with his own tune.  His song went something to the effect of:

"Jesus loves me, and I love him. He loves my Mom and Daddy too. YESSSSSSS, He loves meeeee."

Once I was able to understand what he was singing I couldn't help but be tickled.  My smile was un-containable, so much so that it caught the attention of my Father who gave me that "You better behave" look that I remember from so many years ago.  

At the time I didn't think anything of the boys singing other than its humor.  However, as I sat through the rest of the service I couldn't help but think of how the boy translated the hymn the way he did.  As "older, educated people"  too many times I think we forget the simplicity and meaning behind the things we do or even sing.  I was encouraged by the boy as he was able to reassure him of the simple message that Jesus loves him and that He loves Jesus.  So many times it would be nice if someone could just whisper in my ear or rather loudly proclaim as he did that simple reassurance.  

Whenever I am on the mountaintops it is easy for me to see and hear that reassurance.  It is when I am down in the valley that the troubles are deafening and it becomes harder to hear that simple message.  I wish that I was able to hold on to that child like wonder as he showed me today.  To be able to sing loudly (even if it's not what everyone else is singing or off key) and proudly the tune of our own lives... 

I'm enjoying my tune today, how about you?