A 4-year-old came to the dentist for his first checkup. The dentist tried to strike up a conversation. “How old are you?” The boy held up four small fingers. Smiling, the dentist asked, “Can’t you talk?” The solemn little patient then asked, “Why? Can’t you count?
Out of the mouths of babes. We chuckle at the earnest response of a 4-year-old. Children are loved and cherished, even viewed as the hope for a future generation, but seen with limitations in understanding and ability.
That’s why we’re shocked in how Jesus answers the disciples’ question: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (Mt 8:1)” His answer: to “become like children.” Children have no real standing or position. What was Jesus driving at? Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 18:4)
What happens is that we grow up. But, we don’t just grow up. Original sin was always there, and it takes on a life on its own.
Presbyterian pastor Frederick Buecher wrote in saying: “I adjust myself to the world. I make its standards my standards, its wisdom my wisdom, its goals my goals. And my world adjusts me to itself…where it cannot break me in, it breaks me off and breaks me up.”
When the world adjusts us to itself – pride is spawned in our sinful hearts. Our minds are not set on the things of God, but on getting our way.
True, St. Paul picks up on childhood in his letter to the church in Corinth. “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. (1 Cor 13:11)” Notice the difference, a spirit-led child of a heavenly Father is different from being childish.
Sadly, we do not put childish sinful ways behind us. How many times have we received a reprimand, or threw one out ourselves? “Grow up!” “Don’t act like such a baby!” We do not possess the maturity we thought we outgrew. We regress. We jump back into the sandbox with Jesus’ disciples, striving for self-importance, greatness, and the presumed recognition that goes with it.
Why does Jesus tell us to be like children? Not for us to return to play school, kindergarten, or grade school, but to shatter our self-reliant pride and see our desperate need for a Savior.
And, to think of how our Savior became a child. Right from the womb He couldn’t eat without being nursed. He couldn’t keep warm without being swaddled. He couldn’t be clean without being washed. And, to think of how everything was created through Him. That’s humility, where His strength in weakness was your salvation, and is now your greatest hope.
He allowed Himself to be arrested and bound. Contrary to Peter’s prideful expectations, Jesus fulfilled His prophecy to suffer and be killed, in that you would be reclaimed “children of God.” His act of deliverance through the cross paid the damning price of your pride. Forgiven and restored in saving grace, the Holy Spirit transforms your spirit – to know God NOT as One who is all too willing to spank, but as a loving and providing Father ALL TOO WILLING to embrace, uplift, and empower.
Here’s another story about a boy. A man driving through the countryside passed a young boy walking along wearing only one shoe. Concerned, the man stopped and asked: “Did you lose a shoe?” “Nope,” replied the boy, “found one.”

This boy strolled about shoeless without a care in the world. Yes, the road became rough here and there, but godly providence gave him a shoe, and he was glad.
Godly providence gave you a loving Savior who leads you, walks with you, and if need be – carries you. And, I’m sure you join me in feeling very glad. •
— By Pastor Neil Stern
Grace Lutheran Church, Edmonton, AB