Like Little Children /
SEVEN Like Little Children Foundation Text— People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said,
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." —Lk 18:15-17
Notice that in verse fifteen the word used to describe the little children whom our Lord here takes as patterns for us, is
"babies"; and in verse sixteen, he says concerning them, "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."
—Lk 10:21
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."—Mt 18:1-4
80 / The Open Secret It is plainly therefore /ittle children, "babies," who are to be our patterns; not grown-up children, nor half-grown ones; not precocious children, nor children who have old heads on young shoulders. But real, honest, downright /ittle children, who have all the characteristics of what George Macdonald calls "childness," which means the guileless, impulsive, tender, trustful, self-forgetting, uncareful spirit of a /ittle child.
It is of vital importance then, that we should get a true idea of what it means to be a little child, and of the characteristics of ideal childhood, in order that we may know what must be our characteristics, if we would become "as little children."
1. A little child takes no anxious thought for the supply of its needs, but leaves all the care of providing to its parents. And we likewise must take no anxious thought for the supply of our needs; but must leave all the care of providing to our heavenly
Father.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?—Mt 6:25-26
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
—1 Pt 5:7 (Mt 6:31-33) 2. A little child lives in the present moment, and leaves the planning of its future to the mother's care.
We also must live in the present moment and leave our - future to God.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
—Mt 6:34
3. A little child asks for everything it wants, without ceremony, and in a joyous confidence of being heard and answered.
Like Little Children / 81 We also must ask in unceremonious childlike confidence for everything we want, sure of being heard and answered, according to God's divine wisdom.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
—Phil 4:6
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.—Jn 15:7
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. —Mk 11:24 (Mt 7:7-11)
4. The little child runs to its mother for comfort in all its troubles.
We also must goto our Lord for comfort in all our troubles.
For this is what the Lord says, / "I will extend peace to her like a river, / and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; / you will nurse and be carried on her arm / and dandled on her knees. / Asa mother comforts her child, / so will comfort you; / and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."—Is 66:12-13 (2 Cor 1:3-4)
5. The little child looks to its father and mother for deliverance from all its enemies.
And likewise we must look to our God for deliverance from ours.
For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
—Ps 72:12 (Ps 22:4-5; 34:6; 107:6) 6. A little child rests in the mother's arms when it is weary.
And likewise we must rest our weary souls in the arms of our God.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.—Mt 11:28 (Is 32:18) This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
82 / The Open Secret "In repentance and rest is your salvation, / in quietness and trust is your strength.—Is 30:15
7. The little child asks questions about everything it wants to know, and believes all that its mother says, without question or doubt.
And likewise we must ask our Lord about everything in which we lack wisdom, and must believe all that he says with implicit confidence.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.—Jas 1:5-7
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.—Jn 14:26 (Prv 2:3-6)
8. The little child expects its father and mother to fight all its battles, and is always confident that they can conquer.
And likewise we must expect our Lord to fight all our battles, and must be confident in his certain victory.
Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
—Ex 14:13-14 (Rom 12:19; Ps 60:12; Dt 20:1-4; Ex 15:1-3) 9. The little child takes refuge in its mother's arms when an enemy approaches, and is afraid of nothing in her presence.
And likewise we must make the Lord our refuge, and must fear nothing in his presence.
The eternal God is your refuge, / and underneath are the everlasting arms. / He will drive out your enemy before you, / saying, "Destroy him!"—Dt 33:27
Like Little Children / 83 The Lord is my light and my salvation— / whom shall I fear? /
The Lord is the stronghold of my life— / of whom shall I be afraid? / When evil men advance against me / to devour my flesh,
/ when my enemies and my foes attack me, / they will stumble and fall. / Though an army besiege me, / my heart will not fear; / though war break out against me, / even then will I be confident.
—Ps 27:1-3 (Ps 46:1-3; Ps 91:2-10; Ps 9:9-10) 10. The little child believes its parents can do everything and that nothing is too hard for them.
And we must believe that all things are possible to our Father in heaven, and that nothing can thwart his blessed will.
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
—Mt 17:19-20 (Rom 4:20-21; Mk 9:23; Mt 9:28-29) 11. The little child is never surprised at the greatness of any gift that its parents may offer, nor ever hesitates from a foolish mistrust, to accept the most lavish presents.
And likewise we must not be hindered by a foolish mistrust from accepting eagerly and gladly the lavish gifts which our
Lord is continually seeking to bestow upon us.
I am the Lord your God, / who brought you up out of Egypt. / Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.—Ps 81:10
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
—Rom 5:17 (1 Cor 2:9-10; Eph 3:20-21) 12. The little child never doubts the love and care of its mother, and would be surprised beyond measure should there be any lack.
84 / The Open Secret And we must never doubt the love and care of our Lord, nor be surprised at his tender watchfulness of all our needs.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
—Mt 6:30 (Mk 4:35-40; Ps 78:19-24,; Mt 16:8-10; Jn 14:1-3) 13. The little child is content with the arrangements its mother makes for it, and asks no questions.
And we likewise must be content with our Lord's arrangements for us, and ask no questions, nor murmur at the dispensations he may permit.
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this? "»—Rom 9:20
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
—1 Tm 6:68 (Ex 17:1-3, 7; 1 Cor 10:10-11; Phil 4:11-12; Heb 13:5) 14. Little children grow as the flowers grow, without taking any thought about their growing.
And we must consider the lilies how they grow and grow like them, without anxiety or strain.
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even
Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
—Mt 6:27-29 (Hos 14:5-6; Ps 92:12-14; Jer 17:7-8; 1 Pt 2:2) 15. The little child comes with boldness into its mother's presence, and never doubts her loving welcome.
And likewise we also must come with boldness into the
Like Little Children / 85 presence of our Lord, without a question or doubt of his loving welcome.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made perfect in love.
—1 Jn 4:16-18 (Heb 10:19-23; Eph 3:12; Heb 4:15-16; 13:6) 16. The little child boasts about its parents, and wants to tell everyone of their goodness.
And we must make our boast in the Lord, and tell of his wonderful goodness, wherever we can.
I will extol the Lord at all times; / his praise will always be on my lips. 7 My soul will boast in the Lord; / let the afflicted hear and rejoice. / Glorify the Lord with me; / let us exalt his name together.—Ps 34:1-3 In God we make our boast all day long, / and we will praise your name forever.—Ps 44:8 (Ps 33:1-3; Mk 5:19-20; Is 63:7)
17. Little children are punished when they do wrong, and are subdued and softened by the punishment, and kiss the hand that smites.
And likewise the Lord chastises us when we are naughty, and we must accept our chastisements with thankful submission, letting them work in our spirits the purposed blessing.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.—Rv 3:19
Blessed is the man whom God corrects; / so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.—Jb 5:17-18 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's
86 / The Open Secret discipline, / and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, / because the Lord disciplines those he loves, / and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.—Heb 12:5-6 (Ps 94:12; Heb 12:7-11)
18. Little children have teachable spirits, and are eager to learn.
We also must have teachable spirits, and must be eager to be taught by God.
Awise son heeds his father's instruction, / but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.—Prv 13:1
How sweet are your promises to my taste, / sweeter than honey to my mouth! / I gain understanding from your precepts; / therefore I hate every wrong path.
—Ps 119:103-104 (Jn 16:12-13 Prv 12:1, Ps 119:97-102; Jn 14:26) 19. The little child has a ready foot to run the mother's errands.
We also must have ready feet to run on our Father's business.
I run in the path of your commands, / for you have set my heart free.—Ps 119:32 (Ps 119:59-60) 20. Little children have obedient spirits, and do what their parents desire, and not what they may think best themselves.
And we likewise must have obedient spirits to do God's will, and not our own, no matter how much better our own plans may seem to us.
But I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.
—Jer 7:23-24 Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
—Mt 7:21 (1 Sm 15:22-23; Lk 6:46-49; 1 Pt 1:14-16)
Like Little Children / 87 21. Little children instinctively realize the fact that they have nothing to do but to obey their parents, and leave all else to them.
And likewise we also must intelligently realize the blessed fact that we have nothing to do but to obey our Lord and to leave all else to his care.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.—Mt 6:33 (Eccl 12:13)
Christ was the pattern of this divine childhood.
For to us a child is born, / to us a son is given, / and the government will be on his shoulders. / And he will be called /
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, / Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.—Is 9:6
He did nothing of himself:
Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.—Jn 5:19
He said nothing of himself.
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.—Jn 8:28 (Jn 12:48-50)
He walked in childlike obedience.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
—Lk 2:51 (Jn 4:34; 6:38) He referred everything to his Father.
Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.—Jn 12:44-45
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
88 / The Open Secret Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father?'
—Jn 14:8-9 (Jn 8:42) Since Christ is our example, we must walk as he walked, with the spirit and ways of childhood.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.—1 Pt 2:21
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.—1 Jn 2:6
As A Little Child "unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." —Mt 18:3b
"As a little child, as a little child!
Then how can I enter in?
I am scarred, and hardened, and soul-defiled, With traces of sorrow and sin.
Can I turn backward the tide of years And wake my dead youth at my will?"
"Nay, but thou canst, with thy grief and thy fears, Creep into my arms and be still."
I know that the lambs in the heavenly fold Are sheltered and kept in thy heart; But I, I am old, and the gray from the gold
Has bidden all brightness depart.
The gladness of youth, the faith and the truth, Lie withered or shrouded in dust."
"Thou'rt emptied at length of thy treacherous strength; Creep into my arms now, and trust."
Is it true? can I share with the little ones there A child's happy rest on Thy breast?"
"Aye, the tenderest care will answer thy prayer, My love is for thee as the rest.
Like Little Children / 89 It will quiet thy fears, will wipe away tears, Thy murmurs shall soften to psalms, Thy sorrows shall seem but a feverish dream,
In the rest, in the rest in my arms.
"Thus tenderly held, the heart that rebelled, Shall cling to my hand, though it smite;
Shall find in my rod the love of its God, My statutes its songs in the night.
And whiter than snow shall the stained life grow, 'Neath the touch of a love undefiled, And the throngs of forgiven at the portals of heaven,
Shall welcome one more little child."
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child ts the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." —Mt 18:4
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