Have you ever tried to use scripture to get your way or justify your acts? It’s a lot of fun because it sounds spiritual and you always win, especially if it’s you who defines what a scripture verse means.

What if I tried this with my wife?

“Waaaaaaaaaah! Waaaaaaaaah!”My wife  erupts into the room. “What’s wrong?” she asks, imagining that I must be having a heart attack or at least a seizure of some sort.

“I’m hungry. Make me something to eat,” I respond.

Now I don’t know what your wife would do but I have a good idea of my wife’s reaction. But, that’s okay because didn’t the Lord say, “… whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15). I’m just being obedient, acting like a child.

What if, later that day, I pass her desk where she’s writing something with a beautiful pen? I love beautiful pens so I grab it out of her hand and start to leave the room. “What are you doing!” she cries.

“Just being obedient, acting like a child,” I respond. If I child wants something he takes it and fights, bites and squalls to keep it.

About 4 pm I park myself in front of the television, grab the zapper and call up the Cartoon Network. Five hours later I’m still sitting there, eyes bleary, watching something completely inane. “Why are you watching dumb cartoon for hours?” my motherly wife asks again.

“I’m acting like a child,” I answer. “Isn’t that what the Lord said to do?”

Is that what Jesus meant by becoming like children? Ummm, not exactly.

Don’t forget, He also tells us to not act like children: “When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways.” (1Cor, 13:11) So, we should have the heart of a child and act like mature grown-ups?

That’s about it.

What is about the heart of a child that Jesus loves?  Kids can be sweet. Sometimes the grandkids wrap their arms around my neck and give me a genuine hug that’s worth a million dollars. (That kind of hug is contrasted with the hugs that come when their parents command them to do it or I threaten to cut them out of the will if they don’t give me a hug).

With small children, what you see is what you get. There’s not a lot of subtlety about them. If they’re happy, they’re happy. If they’re not, you know that, too. We adults are complicated and we often suspect others of doing certain things to try to manipulate us—and we’re guilty of doing it, too. You don’t? Then why was your wife so suspicious the last time you gave her an unexpected gift?

“The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.” (Mark 10:13-16, The Message)

We consider children to be a bit gullible, but they learn by believing what we tell them. If I could only be so open and trusting towards the Lord Jesus. That computer between my ears whirls constantly trying to figure things out instead of just believing God. We want things to compute.

And God says, “Just trust me.” A child can handle that because he does it constantly with His parents.
Jesus noted the humility of children. They’re not always jockeying for position, trying to better themselves. This was what spurred Jesus’ teaching about children: the disciples were always trying to get ahead in the pecking order, to be greater than the others.

“He sat down and summoned the Twelve. ‘So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.’ He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said, ‘Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me.’” (The Message, Mark 9:35)

Unfortunately, I think there are also scriptures for people  who want to act in the way I described at the beginning of this article “Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves, and
punishes everyone he accepts as a child.” (Heb_12:6  )

And if He doesn’t do it, my wife can handle me herself. She’s very good at dealing with children.

This idea of becoming like a child is sometimes hard to understand. What does it mean to you when Jesus said to become like a little child in order to enter the Kingdom?
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Hmmm …

“You’re not ready to tell the world anything until first you’ve heard from God. Unfortunately, most of us are so busy telling that we don’t have time to hear. We’re in such a hurry doing ministry that we’re like a hamster on a wheel; we’re rolling around and around but making no progress. We need to get alone with God so we can hear from him personally.” Rick Warren

Smile—

If at first you don’t succeed, do it like your mother told you.
~ Author Unknown

When a woman quits asking questions you need to start asking yourself some questions. (Internet)