LIKE A CHILD…

Matt.18:1-4 – At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”.

To me this verse gives us a real glimpse into the life and ministry of Jesus. In many ways you could say Jesus was like a child up until the day He died. He was intrigued with nature speaking often about the birds of the air and the trees of the field. He seemed to be content whether He was visiting a mansion for a dinner party or sleeping under the stars which He probably often did. He would eat fruit off of a tree, go to sleep on a boat, and spent most of His days hanging out with friends. He sang while walking with His friends, loved boat rides, and liked to get away by Himself for a walk in the wilderness. He never seemed to be pressured to “grow up” like the rest of us are, He enjoyed the simplicity of His world like a child. Here are a couple of lessons from a child from Barclay.

“First and foremost, there is the quality which is the keynote of the whole passage, the child’s humility. Children do not wish to push themselves forward; rather, they wish to fade into the background. They do not wish for prominence; they would rather be left in obscurity. It is only as they grow up, and begin to be initiated into a competitive world, with its fierce struggle and scramble for prizes and for first places, that this instinctive humility is left behind.
There is the child’s dependence. To children, a state of dependence is perfectly natural. They never think that they can face life by themselves. They are perfectly content to be utterly dependent on those who love them and care for them.….
There is the child’s trust. Children are instinctively dependent, and just as instinctively they trust their parents that their needs will be met. When we are children, we cannot buy our own food or our own clothes, or maintain our own home; yet we never doubt that we will be clothed and fed, and that there will be shelter and warmth and comfort waiting for us when we come home.”

These are three powerful lessons we can all learn from a child; humility, dependence, and trust. As far as humility is concerned this comes from seeing the greatness of God. One glimpse of true greatness gives us an instant download of humility. Dependence comes in a similar way, we have no way of helping ourselves, we need the Lord’s help in every arena of life. Absolute dependency is the way of a child. Trust is very similar, knowing the richness of God and His love for us places us in a safe place. Why should I worry when the Lord is my source for all things? So, let’s become like a child and enjoy the few moments we have on this side of eternity.