Childlike Curiosity
We are called to a childlike trust in God, but note: this does not mean we stop using our brains and thinking for ourselves.
Children are always curious, looking to grow in their understanding of certain things. They ask questions like why are you doing that? And what’s that?
And I want to suggest that one of the misinterpretations of receiving the kingdom with childlike trust, and one of the misinterpretations of that verse we read about not leaning on our own understanding, is when people say we can just blindly believe and that’s that. Don’t worry about the rest. We can stop pursuing growth and knowledge because we want to try be childlike.
People often say I don’t want to over-complicate my faith. And of course, the basics are simple, and sometimes we muddle them up with a whole bunch of complicated theology. But sometimes I think we forget to have childlike curiosity about the things of God! We’re too happy to just keep it shallow. We’re too comfortable with the basics.
Embrace Intellectual Faith
Oh for Christians who say why do we believe that? And what’s this verse all about? And tell me what’s going on here?!
I’ve had people in my office and on the phone and at a table in a coffee shop saying to me “what’s your perspective on this?” and “I don’t understand xyz, what do you think?” and “how does this fit in to my life?” And I’ve been in Bible studies groups where we go deep and look closely at the words of the Bible and ask questions and wrestle.
I love those conversations. Not that I have all the answers. But we grow together in moments like that.
And if I were to say to such people “don’t think too deeply, just trust like a child” it would be an insult to their intelligence. Childlike trust is not incompatible with a curious, intelligent, reasonable faith. The two actually go hand in hand. God created us with brains and minds to absorb information and learn and grow.
Just listen to what the writer to the Hebrews said: “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation” (Hebrews 5:12–6:1 NIV)
Nurture Spiritual Curiosity
He's not talking about childlike trust here. He’s saying “become mature in your thinking by growing in knowledge. Don’t just stay an infant Christian. Let your childlike curiosity lead you to explore the deeper teachings of Christ!”
Let me ask: are you still curious about God? Are you still fascinated by Him? Do you dive into the Word, and take on courses and Bible studies and the like, and read the writings of great godly men and women in order to satisfy your curiosity and grow?
Even the most mature Christian must never lose their childlike curiosity about the things of God. Because even the most mature Christian still has some growing to do.
