Lessons in Missional Living from a 5-Year-Old and My Little Pony

Last Saturday marked the opening of soccer season. Our youngest daughter, Jessie, eagerly comes to the games, not to watch her brothers, but for the fellowship opportunities. In what our other children see as a just a game, Jessie sees potential—many of these soccer boys have little sisters.

Here’s how it usually goes down:

Jessie prepares irresistible girl fun. This includes, but is not limited to a variety of Polly Pockets and My Little Ponies. On occasion, she’s also been known to bring her own pink play tent (because nothing says party like a pink play tent). 

Jessie spies out the area and situates herself in close proximity to another little girl. Watching the girl out of the corner of her eye, Jessie begins to unpack her impossible to resist bag of fun. 

The other little girl begins to drool. She didn’t come prepared with fun and has to sit and watch the game while Jessie begins to thoroughly enjoy herself with her toys.

Jessie invites the other little girl to come and play with her. And for the rest of the season, Jessie has secured the friendship of every little girl on all of her brother’s sports teams.

She’s going on her third year of doing this and I’ve yet to see her plan fail to begin a friendship. What if we, as adults, learned to do the same?

Here’s what I’ve observed from my 5-year-old and her Little Ponies:

Be willing to travel outside your comfort zone. Or, as Bill Hybels would say, “Just Walk Across the Room”. It’s easy to stay within our circle of comfort relationally and never make the effort to venture out to build new friendships. When I’ve made the effort to do this at my children’s sporting events, I’ve been continually blessed to meet incredible people and have made some great friends too.

Make room for margin. Relationships happen in the margins of our lives, not when we’re rushing around with an overextended schedule. This one can be hard for me at times because I thrive on productivity and maximizing every moment. However, it’s when I slow down, and schedule time to pause that I am able to appreciate and build relationships.

Gotta run. Tonight’s sports schedule includes soccer, volleyball and football. Now if I can only remember where I put my Little Ponies!