Children’s Church
Do you remembers Bill Cosby’s show Kids Say the Darndest Things? It was a sweet show. The host would cue young children to speak on particular subjects and their responses were usually hilarious. You got a glimpse into the innocence and curiosity of a child that was quite rare.
Although, most parents probably have an idea about the innocence and curiosity of a child. I remember, teaching piano to kids, I would also hear some of the darndest things. One kid told me his mom was the queen of farts! Shereen has also told me some screamers from her grade 2 classes.
Children are a blessing aren’t they! But in Jesus’ time, most people didn’t believe that children were a blessing. Children meant nothing in Jesus’ time. Less that nothing, really – they had no rights, no place. Even though, in our time, there are those who prefer that children are ‘never seen, never heard’, it was far worse in Jesus’ time.
Childlike Humility Required
And so when we read these words from Matthew’s Gospel about Jesus’ interaction with children, and the words he shares about the kingdom of God, it’s easy for us to miss just how radical these words really were. We read this: “The disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:1–5 NIV11)
When Jesus said if you welcome a child you welcome me, it would have blown their minds. Because he was really putting himself down saying that. He was saying ‘in this kingdom… the child is not on the fringes, the child is central. And I side with the child.”
Every Sunday in our church the kids go off with the Sunday School teachers after we’ve sung our songs. It’s lovely to have a place for the little ones in our church! But in light of Jesus’ words, the main service is also children’s church! We adults are also to be like children, he said. We must change, and become like children, if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Now, this is a strange thing for him to have said. Because in one sense, an adult acting like a child is not a nice thing to behold. Paul even said, in his writing, that when he became a man, he put childish things behind him and began to think maturely. So, what is Jesus getting at here?
Embrace Childlike Faith
I believe there is a clear difference between being childish and being childlike. Childishness encompasses the ways of a child that we need to grow out of. Pettiness, selfishness, hyper-dependence on others, tantrums, etc etc. Childlikeness encompasses all the ways of a child that we need to retain! Or perhaps, regain.
I would say that Jesus himself was childlike. Not childish, never childish. But childlike in the way He related to God His Father.
You and I can be too. And in fact you and I MUST be childlike… in order to enter the kingdom.
And so consider this as you go into your day. Roller coasters might say “you have to be this tall to ride”, but in the kingdom of God there’s a sign saying “you have to be this small to enter!”
