Being Childlike
If you are an adult and someone calls you or your actions childish, that is most often used in a negative connotation. It implies some level of immaturity or lack of responsible behavior. It is an unfavorable quality. If someone said to me, “You never taking responsibility for your actions and always blaming others is very childish,” I can tell you this, I would likely not take too kindly to those hearing words, even if they were completely true. We don’t like to be looked at as childish. And if truth be told, being told we are childish often makes us response in a way that does nothing other than show even more childish immaturity.
On the other hand, if someone calls me childlike, I would find some level of joy in that. It could mean that I don’t have the high level of skepticism or cynicism that often comes in adulthood. Childlike is marked by innocence, delight, trust, imagination, wonder and amazement. Children are humble, vulnerable, dependent, seeking. They are so innocent. They are completely trusting of the adults in their lives. Their zeal, their laughter, is infectious.
Our granddaughters often enjoy the simplest of things. Finding a golf ball in our yard gives them so much joy. When I find one buried in the grass, I pick it up and put it in the basket on the patio with little or no emotion. Just another bad golf shot I think to myself. I must admit, though, I do find great satisfaction in getting golf balls out of the pond with my handy dandy ball retriever. You might say I am childlike in those moments.
Let’s turn to the pages of scripture and look at an interaction between Jesus and his disciples. This interaction comes on the heels of Jesus having told his disciples that following him is costly (Matthew 16:24-26) and also about his pending suffering and death (Matthew 16:21-23; 17:22-23). This costly discipleship is defined by denying oneself (turning away from our natural human sinful inclination toward selfishness and self-centeredness) and taking up our cross (dying to self so as to absolutely surrender to God.)
Here is what Jesus said – “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 18:1-3). The Greek words used in v.3 for never are ou mē (meaning no not). This double negative strengthens the denial; in no case, not ever!
The disciples, hearing of Jesus’ pending death and his proclamation about the kingdom of heaven drawing near, seemingly were still overly preoccupied with their status in this kingdom, i.e., their greatness. In response, Jesus critically examines their question by use of a little child. A child in the ancient world was without status, not great in any fashion whatsoever, totally dependent upon others to care for them. And I am sure like children today, children of that day were also full of wonder and amazement. Maybe they even found joy in picking up golf balls!
Jesus did not call the disciples (or us today) to childlike faith. That kind of faith we can conjure up on our own. He did, however, call the disciples (and us today) to be childlike, not concerned about greatness, fully dependent upon him, filled with wonder and amazement.
So, in this Advent season, no matter your age, are you willing to fully surrender to the lordship and friendship of Jesus? Wait? What? Jesus our friend? See John 15:14-15. Are you filled with wonder and amazement? Are you eager be or become childlike again?
If you are encouraged by this or any of my writings, you can subscribe to be notified by email when I post something new. To subscribe, click here. Once you put in your email address you will then get an email confirming that you wish to subscribe. Thank you.