The Faith of a Child

“People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. "Let these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in.”

Luke 18:15-17

When we think of children, we think of innocence, of simplicity. There is something uniquely beautiful about life through the eyes of a child. Where we live our lives amongst the daily stresses of work, finances, relationships, prioritizing, etc. children live in faith that those things will be taken care of for them. There is no doubt in my boy’s mind that I will feed them 3 meals a day, that I will get them ready and put clothes on their backs, that I will drive them to school where they are provided a Christian education, that they will come home to a warm bed and more toys than they can play with. For the most part, they are care free. Their only concerns are whether or not they like the food I give them or if the other takes the toy they wanted to play with. Also, we have more of an awareness of how the world works. We’ve lived through difficult times, difficult relationships and disappointments. Children should have it pretty easy. I know in our society or in third world countries this isn’t always the case, but that’s the nature of how it should be. Children shouldn’t have to have a care in the world. Children should be innocent and taken care of.

When it comes to faith, Jesus said that we should accept His kingdom in the simplicity of a child. What does this mean? In the verses prior to this, we see the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Both went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed, thanking God that he was not like other men - even like the tax collector. The tax collector asked God to have mercy on him, a sinner. Jesus said regarding the two men, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” The Pharisee presumed that the things he did merited him favor, rather than receiving the benefits of the Kingdom with humbleness and thankfulness. We “must receive the kingdom of God as children, receive our estates by descent and inheritance, not by purchase, and call it our Father's gift.” Just as children so willingly trust and have faith, so should we receive this gift of grace - as it is nothing of our own accord.

Today when we got to church, Eli was sound asleep. He had just fallen asleep and I didn’t have the heart to wake him and bring him to Sunday School. I knew he’d stay asleep if I held him, so I brought him in the service with me. He slept in my lap peacefully for most of the service, so content and sweet. Towards the very end, he awoke, pretty suddenly and confused about his surroundings. Dusty quietly stood up and took him outside, with Eli still half asleep. Dusty said they walked around for awhile, with Eli grasping onto his finger. He was holding on so tightly that his little hand was turning white. As they walked around the yard in circles, Eli didn’t think a second thought of it. Nothing mattered, because he had complete trust, complete faith. This is a stark contrast to when Eli does not trust or is scared. When he is scared, he throws himself down on the ground and it’s next to impossible to get him to budge. We experience this every Sunday when we take him to Sunday School. He does not know those people or trust his surroundings, so he is fearful. But what comfort he experiences when he is walking hand in hand with his daddy, even if he’s walking around in circles.

God’s grace is the most amazing gift we’ll ever receive. I’m not even sure we can truly fathom it. May we never think we’ve done anything to merit an ounce of His favor. I don’t deserve anything. Everything I’m given is a direct blessing and generous gift from God alone. I pray that in my faith, I will approach it with the simplicity of a child. I pray that in my daily life, I will give over all control to God and allow Him to lead me, His child. May I always remember to “Trust God from the bottom of [my] heart; don't try to figure out everything on [my] own. Listen for God's voice in everything [I] do, everywhere [I] go; he's the one who will keep [me] on track.” May I let Him lead me by the hand, and have complete trust in where He is leading.