WHAT DO WE LACK THAT CHILDREN HAVE?

 

 

Jesus said many provocative things. He claimed that, in order to be saved, we had to become as little children:

 

• Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17)

 

How are we to receive the Kingdom as a child? Must we first become ignorant of so many adult things?

 

Fortunately, the prior passage—the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector— is quite revealing. The Pharisee believed he was deserving of God’s blessings; the tax collector knew that he wasn’t and, therefore, prayed for God’s undeserved mercy. Jesus explained:

 

• “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

 

The Pharisee had exalted himself; the tax collector had humbled himself.

 

The next verse starts with “now” or “at this same time,” children were being brought to receive Jesus’ blessing. However, His own disciples rebuked them, showing that they still had the same entitlement mentality as the Pharisee. They believed that they were deserving but not the children, who had no idea of being deserving.

 

The Bible teaches that we only deserve one thing from God—death:

 

• For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

 

Why then does our Lord bless His children? Simply because He loves us:

 

• but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:8-10)

 

If He loved us while we had hated Him, we can be doubly sure of His love for us now that we have been reconciled to Him!