“And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” —Matthew 18:3
This verse has always struck me. “Change and become like little children.” Jesus says we must change? He is not talking about behavior. He’s addressing something much deeper.
Little children have an innocence in their approach to living that is slowly abandoned as we mature.
They have an unhindered trust in those who care for them. They quickly learn that whenever they cry out, assistance comes. They don’t stop to consider the mechanics of the assistance. They just know that it will arrive.
They love without limits. In spite of their lack of understanding of the definition of love, they freely offer affection, confidence, and a desire to please the object of their affection.
They are firmly attached to their caregivers. Separation produces anxiety. Reunion brings unbridled joy and relief.
But it’s their need that speaks to me the loudest.
In the beginning, they can do nothing for themselves. They are completely reliant on others to even stay alive. They are fed, transported, and protected by someone they have little understanding of. They look to this someone with complete trust and confidence.
Even though they are unable to express the concept, they are powerless.
They are unable to feed themselves. They are vulnerable to injury from seemingly limitless sources. Not only are they unable to move freely to find protection, they have no concept of safe space or the existence of potential danger.
We have convinced ourselves that we are perfectly capable of addressing all of these difficulties on our own. But are we really?
We feed ourselves on a steady diet of news, social media, and worldly philosophy, while we neglect the spiritual food we so desperately need.
We often ignore the very real spiritual danger that surrounds us. We flirt with temptation and “little” sins.
We give far too little thought to where we are headed in our spiritual lives. This willful blindness often leads us into places we never would have chosen.
As a result, we find ourselves feeling spiritually impotent. Disappointed in our lack of effectiveness in influencing our family, friends, and neighbors to follow the example of Scripture.
Could it be that Jesus knew all of this when He implored His followers to change?
Maybe we should step back and consider the nature of little children and adjust our focus. Jesus said that otherwise, we “will never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.”
This refocus certainly doesn’t excuse or negate our sin.
But it does keep us in a place where recovery is readily available.
Not only must I change and become, but I must remind myself daily that I am indeed like a little child.
Powerless.