Becoming more childlike
When we think of becoming childlike, we often think of Matthew 18:1-4 [ESV] Where Jesus calls a child to Him and says, (verse 4) Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
We think of being childlike, we think of being as humble as a child and that is certainly important. There is so much that we can learn from children. Childlike humility is not the only thing.
In Luke 18:16-17 [NIV] we find another childlike trait we can emulate. In verse 17, Jesus says, Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
We are to receive the kingdom like a little child. How do little children receive things? Well, until they learn that some things are more valuable than others and that they should want the more valuable things, children receive all gifts with equal appreciation. Whether it is a $500 remote control jeep they can ride around the neighborhood in or a $2.00 bottle of bubble solution and a cheap wand.
By contrast, adults tend to want the best gifts, even when it comes to the spiritual ones. God does not rank gifts. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 12 He says they are all essential to the health of the spiritual body. But humans rank the gifts. The gift of prophesy is certainly given more weight in many church cultures than simple, steadfast faith.
Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
However, after chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians wraps up with 31, which says, “Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.”, chapter 13 specifically says that knowing prophesy doesn’t matter if love is not the motivator of it. Love is the more excellent way than any gift we might covet.
One more way to be like a child is to be joyful. Unless they are in dire circumstances, children are typically able to find joy in all activities. They eat with relish and joy. They find joy in coloring, swinging, running around, playing on the playground, jumping in puddles and in music – just to name a few. They don’t need fancy things to find joy.
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit [Galatians 5]. We were meant to have childlike joy. The word “joy” appears 165 times in the Bible.
So, we must be humble like a child, and we must receive all gifts with equal appreciation, just like children do and we should be joyful like children.
Recently, for our Friday night online program, Start Our Sabbath, I gave a presentation about being childlike and asked the viewers to offer additional qualities of children that we should immolate – additional ways we should be childlike.
Here are some things they came up with:
· Children are curious. They ask questions and really want to know the answers.
· Children are forgiving. They don’t hold grudges.
· Innocence is a childlike trait.
The Bible counsels us to be every-learning (curious) [2 Timothy 2:5; 2 Peter 3:18], to forgive others readily and repeatedly [Luke 6:37; 17:4] and to be without guile (innocence) [1 Peter 2:1; Revelation 14:5].
Sweet sisters, we would do well to learn from and imitate these characteristics of children. Let’s strive to be more childlike.
I welcome your comments and questions. You can comment here or write me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org