Become Like a Child

Reflect and pray

Jesus turns the economy of the kingdom upside down. We assume that children must grow into adults before they can be taken seriously in spiritual matters. Jesus says the opposite: adults must become like children if they ever hope to enter the kingdom. That is not a sentimental statement about the innocence of youth. It is a radical call to humility and dependence that cuts against everything our culture celebrates.

A child does not earn her daily bread. She asks. She does not worry about the mortgage; she trusts that someone else is handling what she cannot see. She comes to the table with empty hands and an open mouth, confident that she will be fed. That is the posture Jesus demands. Not the self-made, self-assured, self-sufficient posture of adulthood, but the lowly, needy, trusting posture of a child who knows she cannot survive on her own. She does not negotiate; she receives.

The sermon highlighted John MacArthur's observation: a little child makes no claims of greatness. He simply submits to the care of his parents, relying on them for everything he needs. That is the kind of humility that results in greatness in God's eyes. When was the last time you approached God like that? When did you last admit that you have no resources, no leverage, and no merit apart from Christ? Our culture rewards the strong, the independent, and the self-promoting. God rewards the broken who lean on Him.

This does not mean you abandon responsibility or maturity. It means you abandon the illusion that your maturity impresses God. He is not waiting for you to get your life in order. He is waiting for you to crawl into His lap and say, 'I need You.' The kingdom belongs to such as these. Turn from your self-reliance today. Humble yourself. Become small in your own eyes so that Christ can be great in your heart. That is the path to true greatness.