Children have a very difficult time taking serious things seriously. Maybe to say it another way, they have very little sense of proportion. If you were to talk to many young children, you would find that it is hard for them to grasp at first what it means for someone to die. But, having to share a toy, that they can weep over. On the other hand, I think we have all laughed when we have seen a child receive an expensive present only to end up playing with the box more than the actual gift itself. One of the things that should happen as we mature is that our joys and sorrows line up more and more with reality. Unfortunately, all too often that doesn’t happen. The problem with living in this world is that too often the less “real” things are too real to our hearts and the more “real” things are not real enough. And knowing that, I think, helps us understand part of the purpose of preaching. Or at least, what should be our prayer as preachers. As preachers we want to see God realign our people’s thoughts, attitudes, and emotions with gospel reality.