Thoughts on Being Childlike

In the Gospel of Mark we have the brief account of the disciples turning away parents who wanted to bring their children to Jesus to be blessed.  The Bible says Jesus was indignant when he saw this.  One thing that literally ticks Jesus off is when we get in the way of people coming to him.  But I digress.  Jesus words about children are the point here.  He said that, “anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child, will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15).

I have been thinking a lot about being childlike this week.  I spent an entire day helping our daughter with our two grandchildren this past week and this passage was on my mind as I was going to be preaching it on Sunday.  So I observed and learned from a three year old and a one year old and here are a few things that struck me in regards to following Jesus.

Childlike is not the same as childish

Whining, being selfish, demanding my own way, pouting, etc are all childish behaviors that in essence are sinful behaviors.  Jesus did not ever stipulate childishness as the standard for entering the kingdom, rather his focus was that we are to be like a child.  

Dependency is vital

Children are completely dependent upon their parents.  As any of us who are parents know how we go through a process to teach our children to become independent and true relational health is seen in interdependence.  To be childlike, therefore means that we understand our sense of dependency.    I see dependency in my granddaughter when she looks at me and says:  “Grampa will you help me?”

Trust is inextricably linked with Dependency

You do not depend on someone you do not trust.  However, children have a built in trust of those who care for them.  I noticed this with my one year old grandson who loves to have me pick him up and twirl him around and hold him upside down.  He laughs and squeals and will literally flop backwards in my arms with complete abandon.

To enter into the kingdom of God or in other words to follow Jesus means that as an adult I need to embrace the two greatest qualities of childlikeness; dependence and trust.  Sadly, I find that all too often I embrace the qualities of childishness.  I tend to whine and complain and demand and pout. 

I want to learn to, as it were, flop into God’s arms with abandon.  To daily choose to believe that God has my best interests in mind and that he is fully trustworthy.  To know that he is there to help me when I have a need and that he works in me to teach me and correct me so that I learn dependence upon him and interdependence in my human relationships. 

I am convinced that as I learn to trust God with abandon, I will find greater joy and satisfaction in the depth of my soul.