Become As Little Children

Matthew 18:3 Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Just a casual look at the Bible reveals that God’s ways stand in stark contrast to that of the world.  This is clearly evident  in Jesus’ admonition to the disciples in Matthew 18. The popular teaching of our day encourages self-reliance and the ‘bootstrap’ mentality to navigate the difficulties of life. If someone hinders us, we just knock ’em out of the way.

This was the attitude of Jesus’ disciples and sadly, much of Christianity today. Throughout His public ministry, those closest to Jesus were engaged in an ongoing debate about who is the greatest. Can you imagine the friction that such a debate generated? At one point two of his closest disciples, James and John, even had their mother approach the Savior in regards to this debate (Matthew 20:21)! Not much has changed as we observe the personality conflicts and power struggles that occur under the banner of modern Christianity.

While temporal success might occur as one tries to navigate the world of business, economic and personal growth, meaningful change and positive growth in our walk with the Lord will not occur unless we become as little children. What specifically does Jesus mean when he makes this statement about us becoming as little children? Consider the following:

1. Most children are easily teachable. Experts in child development claim that the ages of 0 to 5 are the most important years as far as learning. Children are like little sponges. They absorb a large amount of information in this short timeframe. 
2. Children are generally open to correction. When a mistake is made, a little child can be quickly re-directed by a parent or other adult. This openness to reproof and instruction makes early childhood an opportune time to teach right from wrong .
3. Children are forgiving. If a child has a disagreement with another, no matter how contentious, they generally forgive one another quickly and fellowship resumes. Their memory is much shorter than that of an adult.

We would do well to integrate these characteristics in our own lives, which is the main point of Jesus’ statement. Instead of chasing personal success and notoriety, we should strive to be teachable and open to gospel conversion. This is crucial in every aspect of our discipleship. There is much to learn and much room for growth in our walk with the Lord, if we would simply humble ourselves when presented with Biblical teaching.

Nobody likes to be corrected, but this is also a necessary component of Christian service. None are perfect.  Conversion is an ongoing process. The journey of life and subsequent ‘pressing towards the mark’ (Philippians 3:14) necessitate a childlike submission to constant correction and Biblical re-direction. Even though we might be adults, this does not automatically translate into wisdom and perfect knowledge. Such does not occur this side of Heaven!

Finally, we must recognize that others are not perfect either. If we are around one another for any extended period of time, contention will occur. This is true of all of our relationships. This is why child-like forgiveness is crucial. Though we might disagree occasionally, we are not to harbor animosity for an extended period of time. Jesus teaches that we are to address the issue and move on. An unforgiving spirit will indeed hinder our growth in the kingdom of Heaven.

What a simple, yet profound statement given by our Savior. Lord help us to take the spotlight off of us and shine it towards Him through our humility and dedication to loving others as He has loved us!

Blessings,

Michael D. Green, Jr.

Fort Wayne Primitive Baptist Church