A Place Called Simplicity - Part 6 - A Childlike Heart

Mark 10:14-15 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "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."

Why did Jesus use childlikeness as a prerequisite to kingdom membership? Is it possible for us grown-ups to be childlike again? Lets look at some of the qualities that Jesus treasured in children.

1. Children grow. They are works in progress and they grow a little everyday. When we have childlike hearts we are teachable. We continue to grow, to learn and to mature. We don’t stagnate. We stay excited to be alive.

2. Children understand joy. Children can feel just as much joy in seeing a butterfly as in going to an amusement park. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The ability to find joy in life is a tremendous strength. People who can delight in the moment are going to live longer then the ones who are stressed and pushed and take everything too seriously.

3. Children are honest and transparent. By honest the author means they wear their hearts on their sleeves. They don’t know how to put up a front. They are who they are and who they are comes out in their speech and actions. They say what they mean and mean what they say.

4. Children have a natural sense of awe and wonder. So many people have said they like to take kids to their first..whatever. So they can see it again through a child’s eyes. I’m sure God loves to see His creation through someone’s eyes who is still awed by it.

5. Children have simple faith. They don’t have to understand everything. They can just believe.

The only way any of us will ever be able to regain that childlike sense of who we are and what we are designed to be is by opening our hearts to the unconditional love that is able to make us real again. It takes time. Like the Velveteen Rabbit, generally by the time we are real, most of our hair has been loved off and our eyes droop and some of our parts get loose… or stiff!