Simply Jesus Pt. 4: “Unless You Become Like Children…”

In an earlier post I discussed how about two weeks ago I damaged my right knee playing basketball. It happened four days before we left on an eight-day vacation to the East Coast. Perfect timing, right?

Stephanie pleaded with me to use a wheelchair in the airport, but I pridefully resisted her attempts. I hobbled all around Philadelphia and Carlisle, PA until we decided to take the kiddos to Hershey Park, an enormous amusement park that was much better than AstroWorld (my hometown theme park as a child). Finally, Stephanie convinced me to rent a motorized chair, and even though I was a bit embarrassed, it was also kind of fun.

I hate being dependent upon others and asking for help for basic things, but this recent knee injury has forced me into those situations over and over again. It’s made me feel as needy as a little child.

At the end of Matthew 17, a tax collector comes by the house where Jesus is staying with His disciples. The man is collecting the temple tax (a half-shekel), which every man over the age of 20 has to pay. Jesus tells Peter that sons of the kingdom are exempt from taxes, but they should not offend the rulers of this present age. Then, Jesus tells Peter to go throw a line into the sea, and the first fish he catches will have a shekel in its mouth that Peter can use to pay for both himself and Jesus.

First, this story displays Jesus teaching that His followers belong to a completely different government (the kingdom of God). Second, it also depicts that of the twelve disciples, it is highly probable that only Peter was over the age of 20, since only he and Jesus pay the temple tax. But finally, Jesus demonstrates here that when we’re stretched to our limits, He has unlimited resources. He’s teaching Peter a childlike dependence.

Chapter 18 begins right after Peter has pulled the coin out of the fishes mouth.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 18:1-4

Like the disciples, for a while now I've felt like God has been telling me that I need to change to be more childlike. I definitely don’t mean more immature, but rather something closer to what the early Christians taught.

He says, “Unless you become as these children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of God,” … Rightly, then, are those called children who know Him who is God alone as their Father, who are simple, and infants, and guileless. … He has proclaimed this utterance, bidding them dismiss anxious worry of the things of this world, and exhorting them to adhere to the Father alone, in imitation of children. – Clement of Alexandria 195CE, Volume 2, p. 335-336 [CD-ROM]

The early Christians taught that having a childlike faith meant taking Jesus at His word like an intelligent child would. It meant renouncing the alluring desires of this world, and instead seeking first the kingdom of God. Having the faith of a child meant clinging to God the Father, and trusting Him to be one’s defender and provider.

As a man, a husband and father, I rather enjoy feeling like a provider. I like the feeling that I can take care of myself. However, too much emphasis placed on oneself as a provider will inevitably lead to anxiety, frustration anger and depression because, well, crap happens that we can’t fix because we’re not God.

In frustrating, anxious and angry times such as this current knee injury, my dad (who is a Christian counselor) often reminds me to prayerfully ask three questions.

1.    God, what are You trying to teach me about You through this situation?

2.    What are You trying to teach me about me through this situation?

3.    What are You trying to teach me about others through this situation?

Two weeks into this knee injury, I believe God is again teaching me that He is where I find rest for my soul. He’s teaching me that I need to engage Him more often as my provider, and that I need to repent of the pride that often keeps me from asking for and receiving help from others in the body of Christ.

What about you? How is God calling you to change to be more childlike in your faith? 

May you experience more of the kingdom of God as you choose to depend more and more on our Heavenly Father!