On Children's Day

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.’

There's been plenty of speculation by readers of these verses about how we are to "become like children." It recently occurred to me that the main thing about children is that they’re willing to believe. Everything is new to them. Every day is a discovery, and life is all about fun and learning. It’s not a stupid naiveté, it’s an openness, a willingness to live life wholly and whole-heartedly. Hurts are hurts, but they are also easily let go.

Kids typically don’t hold grudges. The children who have lived and learned in my classrooms over the years try and try again to establish relationships. They’re more resilient, I think, than adults. They are willing to believe that some time, someone will be their friend. Some time, someone who has treated them badly will change and treat them well. Some time, they will be accepted and liked. Children are willing to believe. Oddly, they're willing also to believe that they can treat another child badly and still be liked and accepted.

There's not a lot of logic to belief.

When children do pick up "baggage," in my opinion much of that baggage is created by the way the adults around them react, not necessarily by how children process the events for themselves. I've watched kids fall down and bump themselves, then look up at the adults to see how they should react. If we laugh, they laugh. If we show alarm, they cry. If a parent gets upset at someone else because of their child's story, the child sees that this is a situation in which it is appropriate to get upset. They believe in reacting in the ways their parents react.

Interestingly, I think that there are also some adults who, although grown up, react based on how others around them are reacting. Like children, they get upset if others seem upset. Like children, they hold grudges if someone else indicates that holding grudges is the way to deal with a given circumstance. Like children, if they see someone else dealing calmly and nonreactively to a situation, they are also more likely to calm down.

People are funny like that.

I wonder if Jesus was thinking of these qualities in children when he suggested that one must become humble like a child to enter the kingdom? Was He thinking wistfully of those who easily believe? Was He wishing that in looking His direction when hurt or puzzled, we would take on His cues as to how to react?

These are my thoughts on Children's Day.  It's a good day to consider childlikeness as a highly valued quality in the kingdom of God.