Luke 18:15-17 “One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
Characteristics of a Child Like Faith
Children lack the “intellectual” barrier that keeps them from believing.
Proverbs 28:26 ESV
Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
Proverbs 14:12 ESV
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Children lack the skepticism and inability to trust freely.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
Children have willing hearts to accept help and guidance and are teachable
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored.
Proverbs 9:9 ESV
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.
Proverbs 19:20 ESV
Listen to advice and accept instruction, so that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Children love freely without fear or worry of being hurt
John 13:34-35 NIV
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
1 John 4:7-11 NIV
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:20 NIV
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
1 Peter 4:8 NIV
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Romans 12:10 NIV
10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Take away:
We must guard ourselves from letting our wisdom stand in the way of God’s wisdom over our lives… stop leaning unto our own understanding… accept the fact that we do NOT know as much as we think we do … so choose to believe and obey God’s leadership over your life… for He knows all… He’s in control of all… and He can be trusted!
We must give up the illusion of control and choose to trust our God with EVERYTHING… put your life in our Father’s hands… trust and obey… for there is no other way… to be happy in Jesus… but to trust and obey!
Be teachable for none of us know all that there is to know. The day that we let our pride tell us that we “know” is the day that we not only stop growing but wisdom dies for the wise seek godly counsel and walk with the wise, yet growth stops when you hit the ceiling of “knowing it all”.
Love freely without concern for gain or even getting love back… give it to those who you think are both worthy and unworthy. Do not discriminate on who should receive love. We are called to love others with God’s love: undeserved…loving hard even when it’s hard to love… giving freely because it was given that way to you by our Father!
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you would protect us from the barrier of our intellect… protect us from relying on our own wisdom and understanding… remove pride from us… change our stony stubborn hearts and replace them with teachable soft pliable hearts…help us to freely give You our hearts and our lives trusting You completely with every fiber of our being… remove any skepticism and allow us to rely on Your guidance trusting You completely. Enable us to love others, giving love to others as freely as You’ve given love to us. May we keep our child like innocence when it comes to You. Have mercy on us Father, take our lives and let them be ALL for You. I pray this over every woman reading this article and myself, asking it all in the mighty name of Jesus-AMEN