What does it mean to have child-like faith?

I had a suggestion from a friend that I do some posts just discussing passages of Scripture, rather than picking a topic, so that’s what I thought I’d do today. It will be a slightly shorter post as I want to just look at the verse Matthew 18:2-4, but I hope you get something out of it.

Matthew 18:2-4, says – ‘Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’ (Emphasis mine)

But what does Jesus mean when He says, ‘and become as little children.’?

I was thinking about this the other day, after my little sister came into my room. She had had a rash on her cheeks for most of the week, and she came in and told me, ‘Chloe, my rash has gone because I prayed to God!’ with a big grin on her face! There was not a doubt in her mind that the rash was gone because God had healed her. I believe that this is one way Jesus is talking about when He says to have child-like faith; to not doubt the Father. Little children believe what their parents and other adults, and even other children, around them tell them; they take every word as truth. And it should be the same way with us; when Jesus says to ‘become as little children,’ I believe one of the ways He means, is to not doubt the Father and to take every word He says as the truth, just like a small child does.

But what might be other ways Jesus means when He says to become like a child?

If we think about little toddlers, almost as soon as they wake up they are calling out and going to find their parents. When we wake up, do we immediately turn to God in prayer? Do we call out to our Father as soon as we wake up?

At breakfast, lunch and dinner time, toddlers expect to be fed – they know that their parents are loving and will feed them. But do we trust God to provide our daily bread? Do we expect Him to feed us through His Word? Do we fully trust Him to provide for our every need?

When out and about, little children will take their parents’ hand, knowing that their parents will protect them from danger. Do we let our heavenly Father take our hand and trust that He will protect us from danger?

When children are hurt or upset, they run straight to their parents for comfort, knowing that they will make them feel safe and will wipe their tears away. When we get hurt, do we run to God to wipe our tears, knowing that He is our greatest Comforter?

Children expect their parents to guide them and teach them throughout life. Do we expect our Father to guide and teach us?

These characteristics are what I believe Jesus was talking about when He said that we should become like little children. We should become the Father’s little children – not doubting Him and taking every word He speaks as truth; calling out to Him and expecting Him to provide for us; trusting Him to protect us from any danger; running to Him for our comfort and peace and expecting Him to guide and teach us.

These things are what will make us great in the kingdom of Heaven – complete reliance on our loving heavenly Father, not self-reliance, or reliance on other people.

So let’s strive to become like little children, meek and humble, with complete trust and reliance in our Father. Just as a child puts all of their trust in their parents to provide for all their needs, let’s put all our trust in our Heavenly Father and make Him number one in our lives.

Mark 10:14-15 – “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Thank you for reading and please leave a comment below on what you thought of today’s post. I would love to hear your feedback and also receive any questions you may have!

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Love in Christ,

Chloe xxx