Luke 18:17 (ESV) … “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
In our passage we see children being brought to the Lord for him to bless them. Jesus had gained much fame from his healings and miracles. Now parents begin to bring their children for a blessing. Unfortunately, his own disciples tried to stop parents from doing this. The disciples thought they were protecting Jesus from an intrusion upon his time, yet to Jesus, this was a wonderful blessing. In fact, Mark 10:14 records that Jesus was ‘greatly displeased’ that the disciples had sought to keep children away.
Jesus did not see the children as lowly and bothersome, which was the typical view of children in that day. Instead, Jesus welcomed the little children and made it clear that, far from their characteristics irritating him, only those who received God’s kingdom as little children would enter in.
The lesson the disciples learned that day are still true for us today. The characteristics of little children which should be imitated: their acceptance of truth, their willingness to forgive, their joy in simple things. Think about it, children trust others for everything—their food, their lodging, the arms of others who bear them about. That sort of faith in God promises us blessings.
If we are to receive the daily blessings for the Lord, then we must be like little children in those things. While so much of the word of God teaches us about grown behavior such as discipline of self, commitment to prayer and devotion to labor for the Lord; it is encouraging that some blessings are tied to the simplicity of being a child. Are you like a child in those things that promise to bring blessings for the Lord? While we continue to grow up and mature in many ways, sometimes what is required is that we grow down to that of a child, so that we can be blessed of the Lord.
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