Edith M. Humphrey: When to Be Naïve

It's not a virtue just for children.
6/12/2009

Excerpt:
To be Christian is to allow the Holy Spirit to foster those elements of our nature that are unshakable and that are meant to grow: awe, wonder, dependence on God and, in appropriate measure, on each other, and thankfulness! It is to read the Bible, even those passages that we have heard before, with hungry hearts, open minds, and lively imaginations.

It is also to be attuned to the subtle interconnections in the Scriptures, and to care about how brothers and sisters of the past have read these passages—for family members should not be ignorant of the ways of God's family. It is to "read" the world and the writings of others with both welcome and care, aware of our own frailty and that of others.

The examples with which I began suggest that in some respects—especially politics—we will continue to argue about whether a stance or action is naïve or a sign of maturity. Still, if naïveté means to trust in God who will defend us, to live without affectation and without hidden agendas or dishonest motives, then it is a godly thing. If it means to ignore God's warnings, to miss the signs of the times, to neglect the weapons of the Spirit against the "many works" of the Enemy, to think that we do not need training or discipline in handling the Word and the world, to remain blind to the weakness of fallen humanity, and to think that things will take care of themselves—then it is time to grow up. the rest