Little Children
Matthew 18:1-4 (NLT) About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 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.
Mark 10:13-16 (NLT) One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so He could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering Him. 14 When Jesus saw what was happening, He was angry with His disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 16 Then He took the children in His arms and placed His hands on their heads and blessed them.
What does it actually mean to become like a child?
Proverbs 6:6-8 (ESV) Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.
Examples of childlike behavior…
-innocent -fun -trust easily
-pure -enthusiastic -teachable
-humble -lighthearted -correctable
-grateful -curious -vulnerable
-generous -creative -authentic
-simple -imaginative -live in the moment
-honest -spontaneous -admit when they’re wrong
-open -brave -quick to forgive
-excited -resilient -quick to move on
-playful -compassion -love unconditionally
Romans 16:19 (NLT) I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other…
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God…
Isaiah 43:18 (NLT) Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
Proverbs 17:22 (NLT) A joyful heart is good medicine…
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) Be a cheerful giver…
Examples of childish behavior…
-immature -selfish -temper tantrums
-unstable -stingy -self-centered
-anxious -clingy -irresponsible
-jealous -petty -overly sensitive
-stubborn -irrational -low self-esteem
-disrespect -inappropriate -negative self-talk
-rebellion -manipulate -disproportionate fear
-impatient -blame others -poor self-control
-dishonest -no remorse -aggressive
-steal -bully -impulsive
Proverbs 15:18 (NLT) A hot-tempered person starts fights…
Proverbs 19:3 (NLT) People ruin their lives by their own foolishness…
Proverbs 22:15 (NIV) Folly is bound up in the heart of a child…
Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT) Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NLT) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
1 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT) When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.
Are you more childlike or childish?
God wants us to grow in childlikeness and grow out of childishness.
“We should not be childish, but we should be childlike. A child’s heart and an adult’s mind.” —C.S. Lewis
1. Childlike Dependency
Childlike dependency means letting go of self-reliance and the illusion that we’re in control.
Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV) I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Matthew 6:11 (NIV) Give us today our daily bread.
Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV) Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? …33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow…
2. Childlike Simplicity
1 Peter 2:2 (NIV) Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.
Ephesians 4:14 (ESV) So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.
Matthew 5:8 (NIV) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
3. Childlike Authenticity
Psalm 51:6 (NKJV) You desire truth in the inward parts…
God doesn’t meet us where we pretend to be, but where we really are. He meets us in our honesty—not in our performance.
4. Childlike Wonder
Matthew 12:23 (NIV) All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
Matthew 9:8 (NIV) When the crowds saw [it], they were awestruck and glorified God…
Luke 5:26 (NIV) Amazement seized them all…’We have seen incredible things today!”
Luke 9:43 (ESV) All were amazed at the greatness of God…they marveled at all that Jesus did.
“When we lose childlike faith, we lose the capacity to marvel at grace.”
—Ann Voskamp
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”