The mind of a Child

In some of my past blogs, I have been referring to devotions that I have been reading. The book is called the Walk of Repentance, it is a 24 week Monday to Saturday study written by Steve Gallagher founder of Pure Life Ministries. I have really been getting a lot out of it as it is an interactive devotional book. You have to look up verses, and write down your thoughts on the verses that you read forcing you to think about what you read. But that is another blog, actually my next blog which will be titled Why I don’t read the bible.

Anyways, yesterday I sent about an hour studying about being teachable. Matthew 18:3-4 says, Then he said, “I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.”

Let’s look a little bit more at the word humble. Webster’s dictionary refers to humble as not proud or haughty. Not arrogant of assertive, reflecting expressing, or offered in a spirit of difference or submission. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary defines humble as, low-lying or of low degree. So in other words the word humble means to submit to authority, admit your faults, and never insist that you are better than anybody else.

Matthew 19:14 says, But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.” Psalm 103:13 says, The Lord is like a Father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

What does all this mean? You have read it and heard is read hundreds of times, but have you ever really stopped to ponder these words. Here is what I came up with.

Children are innocent and will believe anything that you tell them. They accept things for what they are, and their thinking is always simple. Once we grow up, we start thinking logically and stop believing in what doesn’t make sense. We stop accepting the truth and begin to make things much more complicated than they really are or have to be. We need to learn to come to Christ with the mind of a child. We need to accept the bible for what it is, and just believe it.

The kingdom of Heaven belongs to everyone, not only including the children, but especially the children. Children believe in God and Jesus without question, they accept it for what it is. Once we grow up and begin to think logically or rationally we start to question God in what he is doing in our lives, and we questions his motives. Psalm 115:3 says, For our God does what ever he pleases. It all about what God wants, not what we want.

Life was not intended to be easy, but if we keep that mind frame of a child, accept things for what they are, and know that God will talk care of us, and provide for our needs if we trust him, that life will be made a whole lot easier. Matthew 19:26 says, Jesus looked at the intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.”

The bottom line is that we need to think more like a child when it comes to living a Godly life. The bible is black and white, we need to stop trying to find excuses (gray areas) to do wrong and not follow God. Children are innocent, they have not experienced pain or suffering. They always have what they need, food, water, shelter, hopefully love, and they don’t know any better, They just know that there needs are being met. They have not yet become subject to commercialism, peer pressure, and don’t understand the need of money for the basic necessities. All they know is that their needs are always met. Well my friends, think back on your life, and tell me when you needs were not met. You always had food, you always had drink, you always had shelter, and you are still here today with access to the internet to read this blog. God has always provided for you, and he always will.

This does not mean that life will be easy. God purposely allows bad things to happen, but he always turns a bad situation into good, it is always a leaning experience, and it always makes you stronger in the end. Romans 8:28, And we know that God causes everything to work together for the love of those who love God according to his purpose for them. Don’t argue with the bible, accept it like a child, and deal with the sufferings, and reap the benefits.