Like a Little Child

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say  to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’ ” Matthew 18: 1-2 (NKJV)

If you  sometimes attend a church other than your home church, nearly everywhere you go, you’ll find the children’s story- time to be a  regular part  of the worship service. It’s not a mere add-on. It is listed in the bulletin, and the people who tell the story come prepared, sometimes  with props and slides,  even a PowerPoint presentation, and lots of imagination and enthusiasm.

This is as it should be.  For the children,  the storytime takeaway is that church is not a place  just for grownups. Week after week, they get a mini sermon that helps them  know that they belong, and they feel encouraged to stay in a place where they are the focus of so much attention, a place where every week someone “nice” loves on them.

“Jesus loves the little children/ All the children of the world.” And Jesus’ love for the children and His understanding of their little world led Him to use one of them  to teach His disciples—and us—a big lesson. The disciples had been bold enough to approach Jesus with a question that had been on their minds, as they, like the rest of the Jews, had anticipated  a kingdom led by a new Messiah. They had expectations. They wanted to know who would be the greatest in the coming  kingdom.  Our focus text shows that Jesus didn’t  use logic in His response; He didn’t preach a sermon. He didn’t even tell them a parable.  He took a little child, set him in their midst, and told them that unless they were converted and became like little children, they wouldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven.  The disciples needed a change of heart. Self-seeking and a desire for position had to be set aside.

By that simple act, Christ said, try humility. This little child has no desire to be the head of anything; he accepts and trusts people for who they are. His simplicity and transparency are the graces I like. He is comfortable in his sphere. As someone who has taught children, I can relate to Jesus’  use of a child as an example of loving without a hidden agenda.

The kingdom of heaven is wide open to everyone  who sees it not as a place to set up a system where only a few have all the power. It is the place where God lives as the kind Father who loves all His children, and His children, young and old,  look to Him in love and devotion. That kingdom is a harmonious place. Everyone  who enters there is a beloved child of God.

Always,

Judith

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The wolf also shall dwell
with the lamb, and the
leopard shall lie down
with the kid, and the calf
and the young lion and the
fatling together;  and a
little child shall lead them.
Isaiah 11:6