Matthew 18:1-10 (As a Child)

¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
 ² He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³ And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
   ⁵ “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. ⁶ But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
   ⁷ “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! ⁸ If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.  ¹⁰ “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

There is a very clear image in my mind of a painting I saw as a young girl portraying Jesus sitting on a large rock surrounded by children.  There are children in his lap, children on the ground in front of Him, children standing next to Him, and even a couple children teasing each other over in the corner.  The picture is full of laughter, smiles, joy, safety, and silliness.  As a young mind, even I could understand that Jesus loved children and wouldn't send them away!  That image is one that helps me to form the way I treat children.


But something happens to us doesn't it?  Life happens, doesn't it?  And now it's so easy for us to go to  work, come home, clean the house, make food, and go to bed...over and over and over.  Have you ever had a moment where you've stopped and asked yourself where is my laughter, smiles, joy and silliness?  I know where it went.  You have gained information.  You have gained the information that life is not always fun, someone is not providing for you anymore but you must go work and pay bills, and people you love have gotten really sick and died or lost their jobs or their marriages.  You may have also gained knowledge from books -- you have an education now, right?  You are more enlightened than you used to be and so you don't believe the foolishness that you clung to as a child.  You know various philosophies and agendas, and perhaps you can give your validated opinion on anything whether people want it or not.  Then we take this new-found "knowledge" and start holding ourselves up as smarter, more well-read, more experienced, and more mature, and we begin to question whether people we know and some people we don't know really know as much as we do...and sometimes even if God really knows what He's doing because from our knowledge it should be done this way.  And then bada-bing: we no longer even resemble children anymore.


Children approached Jesus not even knowing what they did or did not know for they knew (as I knew as a child) that most people know much more than they do -- and that doesn't even matter to them!  They had no knowledge, or money, or anything to offer Him.  They just wanted to be with Him, to climb up into His lap and listen to Him.  He might ask them questions, and then they would answer.  He might play "Tickle Monster," and they would giggle and laugh and squirm in His lap.  They had a full trust in Him, because they knew there was absolutely no reason to fear when they were with Him.  In this security, He could wrap His arms around them and tell them how much He really loves them.  And they could take their chubby, dirty, 4-year old hands and fingers up to His face, feeling the roughness from a day's worth of stubble, look into His eyes and say with unrestrained love back, "I love you, too, Jesus."   They would walk away with laughter, smiles, joy, safety, and a sense of silliness and fun.


I challenge you today.  Enter your time with the Lord with as little as you "know" but rather with a desire to love on Him and to receive love from Him, to have Him ask you questions and then you answer back, to share something funny with Him knowing that it makes Him smile and laugh, too, and to soak up who He really is until you can say with unrestrained love back, "I love you too, Jesus."


He is not impressed with our knowledge, our experience, our degrees, our money, our positions, and our puffed-up thoughts of ourselves.  Sure, He gives us the ability to learn and to desire knowledge, but it was never meant to be an idol in our lives.  May we instead approach His throne with humility, as is referenced in verse 4 above.  And may we not be so wrapped up in our knowledge, our money, or anything else that we think matters that we get off track of what God's design is and lead others down that same wrong track with us...for there are great consequences if we do this passage says.  Instead...humility, my friends.


If we want to really be wise, not just full of knowledge, we need humility.  Proverbs 11:2 says,
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."

Isaiah 66:1-2 says,
"This is what the LORD says:    “Heaven is my throne,
   and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
   Where will my resting place be?
² Has not my hand made all these things,
   and so they came into being?”
            declares the LORD.
   “This is the one I esteem:
   he who is humble and contrite in spirit,
   and trembles at my word."

Lord, you are God.  You have created all things and in You all things hold together.  Lord, I pray you would soften our hearts this morning.  Teach us how to be humble and how to follow you with a contrite spirit and a deep desire for Your Word.  I am sorry for the times that I think my knowledge is superior to someone else's or even to Yours, Lord.  Instead, I long for wisdom that only comes from You.  Forgive me, Lord.  Help me remember to come to You as a child does and to yearn for all that You desire.  Lord, I give YOU all the glory.