becoming as a child to enter

[Deena]

Jesus often tells people that they must be like children to enter the kingdom of God. I was wondering exactly what He means here. I think historically speaking, to be a child in Jesus day was radically different than being a child in our American culture where youth are virtually worshipped. What qualities of the child is He talking about? What life did a child have in Jesus day? What mind set?

[misszoolander]

I often look at the children I know, and it reminds me of the passage you are referring too.

Children are innocent, and they look at their parents for guidance. When a baby is born they depend on their parents to live and grow, a child depends on the same things but emotional dependence is also being developed. A child will often see the patterns of it's parents and follow them, they can not help themselves, their parents imprint is the strongest out of all impressions they will face in this life.

This is how we will be after being purified by God, he will leave his imprint on us, and we will walk in exactly his way.
A child is totally dependable on his parents, and this is also how we must be with God, totally dependent on him in every way.

Children are innocent, hungry for love, and do not carry the shame, guilt and other things that separate us from God as adults. 

I think this passage speaks out to us here in this day as it did in those days, children are children. They are born the same way, developed the same way and react the same way. Situations and cultures change, but the love a parent has for a child has never changed in history. This is what Jesus is referring too, we must be like children, and see God as our Father, for that is what we are, even if we do not realize it in this time.

[Molly]

The human child is the most helpless 'animal' in the world.  A baby deer will stand on its wobbly legs within an hour of birth, but the human baby can take a full year to do the same.  Other mammals are born ready to go within days outside of the womb, but the human child continues its gestation outside of the womb for decades.  The human brain keeps growing to the age of 25. 

So many things can and do go wrong.  If I were smarter, I could figure out why God made the one to whom he would give dominion so helpless for so long.  It often seems to backfire as the helpless one misinterprets power once he gets a taste of man's power.  It takes a long time to realize that true power and confidence comes in humbling ourselves before God.



'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

--Zech 4:6



Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

-James 4:10

[ded2daworld]

Amen Molly :thumbsup:

[eaglesway]

Children smile easily. Forgive quickly. Are lacking in guile. They are spontaneous in their expression of love. They kno how to enjoy a beautiful day.

I think Jesus was speaking here of little children, not adolescents ;o)

[Deena]

Well said by all, but I was just wondering if there is a cultural reason Jesus used the child analogy.  I watched a program on the history channel about what is was like to live in the time of Jesus. Most people were very poor and the threat of an early death all too real. I guess I was just trying to put the child analogy in that context. I do like the idea that a child is hungry for love and without shame. Perhaps that is the essence.

[ded2daworld]

How can we see God in the context of Father unless we are in the context of a child?

[eaglesway]

I really think it was spiritual, not cultural- a statement about a natural reality giving insight into a spiritual reality.

[reFORMer]

Also, children are not so much into historical reference.  They're certainly not remembering some hurt, but are forward looking.  Everything is new to them, never happening before.  They're excited about everything they encounter.  It's all fresh.  Their lives are not running complaints, murmuring and dwelling on others' sins.  They quickly forget any offense and are constantly delighted instead.  It is a life of joy, anticipating good and something new that blesses, inspiring thanks and a natural demand to have anything you want.  It is as if all they survey belongs to them and they are the boss of everything.

[Deena]

Again, well said by all. No wonder we adults so delight in children and grand children. You have captured the innocent essence of them. We grow up and the cares of the world choke it out. I want to live/think like a child again. It sort of reminds me of that twilight zone episode where the people in the nursing home decide to play hide and seek in the middle of the night to experience youth again. They do it and disappear, but the unbelieving old man who wouldn't embrace their foolishness, could hear their youthful chatter and glee. He missed the experience and wept. Yes, Jesus I will come and play.

[ded2daworld]

Past, present future.
Jesus said to live in the now - which is what children tend to do.
Some have a tendency to remember the bad things in the past and project them on to a fearful future.
Some people that remember the good things of the past tend to stay there.
Good past or bad past - "forgetting what has past and pressing on"

Others are terribly concerned about the future - what will happen next? how will I pay my bills? Will my children(grandchildren) have a good life? When is Jesus coming back? What will happen after that? When and how will I die?
Jesus said to take no thought for the future because the future has enough problems.
Children live in the now a LOT more than even us Christians that have a biblical mandate. :Peace2:

[marie glen]

I have always thought "being as a child" has the most to do with simplicity.. and of course faith.. But mostly to me, it means accepting God, Jesus and the Bible at face value.. I think there's a verse in Ecclesiastes which says something like "God made man simple, but he has devised many devises" which to me, means it's people who make things complicated and hard to understand. A child can hear "thus and thus" and accept it as what the words are, but people, it seems to me, twist things all up and look for hidden meaning which simply serves to hide the gospel and truth (some secret thing, why? perhaps to make ones' self feel wise? whereas simplicity is just that, simple). :dunno2:

[eaglesway]

Spontaneous, affectionate, awake and alive and curious because the world is still new, dependent on mommy and daddy.....