BECOMING LIKE CHILDREN

My wife and I recently attended a surprise 80th birthday party for my wife's aunt.  There were lots of cousins, great-cousins, and even 3rd generation cousins present at the party, some of whom had come a good distance to attend; so it was great to see everybody and catch up on news of their families.  My wife later commented about how one little baby who was just a few months old was able to pick out her mother's voice even above 40 or more other voices all talking at the same time.  Her little ears would prick up and her head would turn toward the direction of her momma's voice. 

As my wife described what she observed that day, I had to think of our relationship with our heavenly Father and how similar it is to that little one.  There are many voices around us always, some are good, and some are not so good, but in the midst of so many voices our Father's rings out true and distinct from all others.  We know that we can trust that voice because it is the voice that has comforted us, spoken loving words to us, and guided us in times of uncertainty.  As the psalmist said, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul."  (Psalms 94:19)  We can distinguish His voice above others because we have learned to trust it and through experience have learned to discern it. In describing Himself as the good Shepherd, Jesus said, "...the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.  And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice.  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."  (John 10:3-5)

There is much we can learn from the example of children.  At one point in Jesus' ministry several mothers were wanting to bring their young children to Him so that He would bless them, but His disciples thought that He was too busy to bother with the little ones and forbid the mothers to come forward.  Jesus, however, saw what was happening and said to the disciples, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."  (Mark 10:14) That was not all Jesus said about it, though.  He went on to say, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."  (v.15)  Jesus couldn't have made it more clear that we must possess a child-like faith in order to enter the kingdom of God.

As I think about the child-like qualities that are necessary to faith walk, I think first of their utter dependence on their parents.  Especially in the beginning they are unable to feed themselves, clothe themselves, or clean up their own messes.  Their parents are there to meet their every need, sacrificing their own time and rest in order to attend to their child.  I believe this sacrificial love helps to build the trust bond between parent and child.  As the child grows older, the parents teach them all those things that are necessary for them to become independent so that they can take care of themselves in the world.  This is the way of the world.  In order to be effective citizens of the world, we must learn to be independent.  The kingdom of God is just the opposite however.  In order to be an effective citizen of the kingdom of God we  must learn to be dependent on our Lord. We cannot save ourselves.  We can't really even change ourselves in any meaningful way without God's help.  By faith in the finished work of Christ I can be transformed into His likeness.  I must trust in my Father to feed me with spiritual food by speaking His Word to my soul and bringing it alive to my understanding.  I must trust in my Father to clothe me in His righteousness which is clean and pure, and not trust in my own righteousness which is like filthy, worn our garments.  I must trust in God's wisdom to guide me through the difficulties of life, and not trust in my own ways.  I must, above all, trust in the great sacrificial love that the Lord has shown me in order that I might be saved and share that love with others.

After having spent our lives learning to be independent, dependence does not come easily.  At first it seems like a foreign concept.  There are life events that we encounter, though, in which we find we have no control over whatsoever.  It is at such times that we must depend on God, and by depending on Him we find He is faithful and can, indeed, be trusted.  Several times Jesus sent the disciples out on the sea without Him only to encounter some terrible storm that put them all in peril of their lives.  Jesus would always appear then and speak peace to the wind and the waves, and the storm would calm.  God doesn't send trouble into our lives, life itself is well able to do that, but God does use our trials to teach us that we can depend on Him no matter what life slings at us. 

May God grant us all the ability to become like little children in our complete dependence on His loving kindness and faithfulness.  After all, He has sacrificed Himself for us so that we may experience a rich and abundant life in Christ Jesus our Lord.