It's Too Bad That Four-Year-Olds Don't Run the World.

Honesty seems to be a completely forgotten virtue amongst the powerful. Maybe it has always been that way. But not everyone lives by deception. I know a group of youngsters that are quite honest. Maybe even brutally honest.

Not too long ago I was taking my turn in the nursery at church. The age group I work with is three- and four-year-olds. They are busy. They are energetic. They are fun. And, as I have mentioned, they are honest. They wear me out a bit, but I love it.

That particular day there were no boys in the group. I sat down on the rocking chair and mused to myself that Mrs. Brenda was going to have a busy time of it while I was relaxing. Silly me.

Mrs. Brenda was a veteran at entertaining girls and immediately had them digging in the costume box. Scarves, shawls, capes, and tiaras were all in a cloud of motion around the girls as they excitedly claimed and rejected costume parts. The objective was to dress up for a princess party. I sat back amused.

It did not take long for the girls to come to me for fashion advice. That judgment failure can be overlooked due to their age. Those kids were born with more fashion sense than I've ever been able to glean.

Then they needed items fixed. That part I could handle. Presently they were ready to be princesses and they needed some form of entertainment. One of the girls said,”Mr. RV, you be the prince!”

I was pretty comfortable and had a difficult time visualizing myself slaying dragons or fending off Huns from the rocker. I shamelessly played on the stereotype and replied, “The prince is supposed to be young and handsome.” Immediate conflict registered on the faces of those girls. Clearly in their eyes I was not prince material.

My rocking chair career was momentarily secured. Rolling with the concept I added, “Kings are old and gray.”

There was instantaneous recognition and one of the girls decreed, “You're the king!”

Some people may want to be patronized, but I just love the honesty. If the world was run by four-year-olds, I think it would be a much better place.