What Does "Becoming Like a Little Child" Look Like?

Jesus makes this bold statement in the book of Matthew,

 

“I tell you the truth,

unless you change and become like

little children,

you will never enter the kingdom of

heaven.”

(Matthew 18:2)

I don’t know about you but when I hear the phrase,

“will never enter the kingdom of heaven,”

my ears open up all the way;

and I want to know everything I can about what comes before that statement.

Jesus makes it clear.

We must change.

We must become like little children.

What does that mean??

I don’t think it means we have to trust everything and everyone without question.

Other Scriptures, like I Thess. 5:21, make it very clear that we are to

 “test everything and hold fast

to what is good.”

I don’t think it means that we depend on everyone else for our spiritual growth.

II Ti. 2:15 says,

Do your best to present yourself to

God as one approved,

a worker who does not need to be

ashamed and who correctly handles

the word of truth.

When Jesus says to “change and become little children,”

I think he is talking about our spirit.

Our attitude.

Our level of humility and acceptance and trust in Someone who longs to take care of our every need.

My nephew cannot walk yet.

He just learned to crawl.

He cannot feed himself.

He cannot get himself something to drink when he is thirsty.

He is dependent on everyone around him for his every need.

But he doesn’t worry.

He doesn’t stress.

He doesn’t fret over what is coming next.

He is filled with complete joy and unconditional trust.

When I think of Jesus saying,

“change and become like little children,”

I want to see this picture in my mind.

I want God to see this kind-of joy and trust in my soul when He looks at me.

I want Him to know that while I am trying to grow closer to Him in knowledge and depth of faith,

I am still happily, joyfully trusting Him for the next bite of life.

 

Even when life is messy,

I want to smile and live with my heart wide open to what He has in store next.