The Case for Naiveté

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“…and renew a right spirit within me.” 
-Psalm 51:10b 

Friends, I overdosed on negativity a few times last week. And wow, did it ever take me to some ugly places. So it’s time for a thought experiment. Get ready for some stream-of-consciousness writing…

I decided this week to try to reclaim some naiveté. My baseline assumptions about the world had become too cynical. So I decided to pause my growing belief that everything seems to be getting worse, and that tons of people are awful. What would happen if I walked through life, believing that most people will choose care and generosity if they get the chance? Would it make me more generous? Could it possibly even make them more generous? I don’t know. But I do know that right now this world has a way of beating you down and force-feeding the worst of humanity in flashes of pixels a few inches from your face for hours a day, if you let it.

But also, we make the world by how we think about it. Is that what Paul meant when he wrote in Romans to be changed through the practice of renewing our minds each day? Instead of the idea of, “just don’t think about bad stuff,” perhaps the idea of renewing our minds is about reclaiming innocence with each new day. With each sunrise, we see that the world has once again been washed in light, and for a moment we allow ourselves to believe that the world is indeed full of light. And when we walk around believing the world is full of light—when we walk around believing that people are capable of incredible good—and when we walk around believing that God has remade the world for yet another day—it might seem foolish. Looking around with beauty and hope each morning might seem ignorant. We may even get hurt because of our innocence. But after too many mornings of seeing bad news, I’m beginning to think I’d rather get hurt from living with hopeful innocence than walking around with my hands guarding my face, treating all of the world as if it’s a threat.

The world has gotten heavy, and I have added my weight to it. 

I long for God to give me permission to laugh again with a light heart. And I long for that innocence to be a choice, not a blindness. I want to receive the poetic words of Wendell Berry, the profound prophetic poet who died last week, when he wrote, “Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts.”

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but I know I do. People can be cruel to others. Selfishness can do so much harm. Countries can foment fear and division. The hateful voices have the microphones. And we can all get pulled into the despair that comes from believing that the world is dark and ugly. 

But as long as we are a part of the world—then, well, we are a part of the world.

And if we are living as people of light, then I guess that means that the world is full of light. And if we’re trying to spread God‘s love and care, well, that means that the world is trying to spread God‘s love and care, at least in our little pockets of it. So I’m going to hold onto an extra measure of innocence today. I’m going to walk around a little naïve to the ways of the world. I’m going to look and notice all that is still beautiful and all the moments that people just blow me away with goodness. I’m going to believe that Jesus changes lives, and that mine is one of them. 

Yes, I think Jesus was wise and strong. And I also think he chose foolishness—even naiveté—on purpose. He chose to believe that selfless love could heal the world of its violence. How ridiculous! He chose to believe that an outstretched arm could break down barriers of exclusion. He foolishly believed that real power didn’t come from political leaders, but from neighbors loving neighbors and living with the selfless ethics of his Kingdom. And he believed that you and I had such great value that he would do anything to help us experience abundant life. With the way I am sometimes, that sounds like a pretty foolish idea.

I can look around and think Jesus was wrong. Or I can choose to try it out. 

So I’m thinking that if it was good enough for Jesus to believe, then today I’ll try to believe it as well. I’ll try to believe that even though five sparrows are sold for two pennies, not one of them is forgotten by God. I’ll try to believe that every person reflects God in some way. I’ll try to believe that simple faith can shift the very topography of how we see the world. I’ll try to believe that the most powerful spiritual gift we can practice is love. 

To put it in the simplest words I can think of: 

I’ve decided to be a Christian once again this week. 

I hope I’ll decide to trust Jesus next week again too. And I don’t care if it’s foolish. In fact, I think I need it to be. Because the wisdom of the world around me hasn’t really made a particularly good case for itself lately. 

I’m going to look around for Jesus all week long. And I intend to find what I’m looking for. 

Wherever you need to reclaim some innocence with Jesus, I hope you find it. You don’t have to deny the darkness to delight in the light. There are many of us walking this beautiful path. You are not alone.

Jesus, lift my heart and restore my soul with your good news. 

Peace,
Keith