Have you ever read Matthew 18:2-4 and truly meditated on what that scripture is saying to us as Christians?

Matthew 18:2-4 reads, “2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

If we are honest with ourselves we would realize that most of the time we read through scripture quickly and don’t slow down long enough to think about what we just read and how it applies to our everyday lives. I have been saved since 1996 and a minister since 1999 and there are plenty of times that I have read the word out of a works mindset instead of setting my mind on seeking Him and what He is saying to me in that moment. I know that some will read this and will be taken aback by that statement because most of the times people don’t reveal their short comings for fear of judgment by others. However, God has dealt with me over the years and has instilled in me a need to be transparent not only to help others, but to help myself because it keeps me humble and stops pride from rising up in that area. We can never stop being honest with ourselves because that is how we grow and that growth helps others as well.

Now think of what it means to become like little children like is referenced in Matthew 18:2-4. If you have children or grandchildren, think of how they come to you whether it is to ask for something or just to snuggle with you. Children believe and hope automatically by faith that everything will turn out ok. They believe that if they don’t know something, all they have to do is run to you and ask and you will answer their questions. They don’t try to fake it until they make it. They don’t worry about whether or not they will seem silly by asking the question; that is something that is instilled in us over time and done so through the judgment of others. Children just want to trust, play, imagine the best, sing regardless of who is watching, love and be loved.

  • Imagine if we allowed ourselves the grace to appear foolish and instead of worrying what others thought, we actually lifted our hands in praise during praise and worship. (John 4:24)
  • What if we believed that God wanted only good for us and so we went to Him with an open heart and mind and just asked? (Romans 8:28, John 14:12-14)
  • What if we dedicated time to be alone with God and love on Him and show him that we just want to be in His presence more than we wanted His presents? (Psalm 27:4-8)
  • Think about what would happen if we turned to God when we needed to understand something instead of leaning on our own wisdom. (James 1:5-7)

Read through the scriptures that I have listed with each point above. Seek Him out for yourself and know that God is a loving Father that wants to teach you and give you instruction. He wants to guide you and have fellowship with you. He wants to know how your day went. Even though He knows everything, He just wants you to have enough faith in Him that you will tell Him everything knowing that He will listen; that in and of itself is faith. God wants you to trust that He is for you and not against you (Romans 8:31) and that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm139:14) because He took the time to make you uniquely you. Why wouldn’t you want to spend a little time with a God that loves you that much? Let’s put down conventional wisdom and turn back the years so that we can once again have faith like a child.