February 19,2009

"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:2-4

Have you ever contemplated these verses? As adults we have been schooled to be critical thinkers, not allowing a thought to cross our minds without first sifting it through our logic and life experience. We pride ourselves on our intellect and ability to think through an issue, solve a problem, and navigate deep philosophical waters. So what is Jesus talking about in these verses?

Have you ever spent time with a 5 year old child? If you tell them you saw a purple giraffe in the front yard what would the child do? They would go to the window to look for the purple giraffe of course! Why? One reason is they trust you to tell them the truth. Also to a 5 year old, all things are possible, the world is full of wonder and new revelations every day.

How can we "become as little children"? By believing in the God of all creation just as a 5 year old child does his parents. A 5 year old knows his father loves him, protects him, and teaches him good things to help him grow and learn and become the best that is possible for him. May we all develop the faith and humility (teachability) of a 5 year old child and therefore be proved worthy of a place in His kingdom.