What Should A “Child-Like” Faith Mean For Us?

Jesus said some very interesting words in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 18, verses 16 & 17:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never see it.”

What was Jesus getting at? Is it a “trick” question? Is he serious? Must we re-learn how to think as a child? What good is our education? (I seem to always have more questions than answers.)

These verses were discussed today in an online daily devotional I receive by email. The particular thoughts were written by a Mike DeVries. To try to perhaps get a handle on what Jesus meant, Mike decided to observe his young kids over a period of time.

One thing he noticed right off the bat was that young children live in the present tense. What happened yesterday is no longer important, and they could care less today about what they will do tomorrow. What does concern them is what’s happening right now.

I have no clarity as to whether or not this is all of what Christ was getting at. But I think it might open the door to some interesting considerations for our faith-walk. Kay Lynne and I are spending considerable time these days trying to determine for us what it means to follow Christ today, in our world.

We’re thinking that what Jesus suggests with regard to having child-like faith points us in the direction of learning what it means to have complete and total dependence on God for everything. In fact, if we apply the above characteristic of “child-like" faith, we should primarily be centered on what is going on today. or at least in the present. Our past is behind us; our future is assured in the Kingdom, and our trust should be in God alone for today’s sustenance.

Easier said than done, you’re probably thinking. And, of course, you’re right. Perhaps, however, Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew at the end of chapter 6 can throw some light on Luke 18:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.”

Can we trust these words? We’re excitedly anticipating where learning to live by “child-like” faith might lead us.