As a toddler, right now my son perfectly embodies what it means to have faith like a child. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:16-17) Among His other words for me, I have been meditating on this one to try and understand it as deeply as possible.
Little children have many behaviors in common, but here I am building a list of my son's characteristics that I can see the embodiment of faith in. So far I can see 87 ways my child embodies faith:
- Trusting completely
- Open eyes
- Open heart
- Curiosity
- Always learning, growing, and changing
- Following after his parents, yearning for closeness
- A mix of independence and utter dependence
- Accepting gentle instruction and guidance
- Feeling safe in his parents' arms
- Separation anxiety
- Tantrums (don't we all get upset when we don't get our way?)
- Uninhibited nature
- Unquestioning love
- Without shame or ego
- Thriving in his parents' joy and approval
- Occasional doubt and rebellion
- Pouting after discipline, but always seeking restoration
- Loving fun and laughter
With that in mind, what is Jesus saying when he tells us to accept the kingdom like a little child? Perhaps the way a child accepts his parents: Following. Yearning. Loving. Open. Uninhibited. Pure.
