Like Children, Part 1

Author: Joseph

Date: November 28, 2022

There were many arrogant and evil rulers in ancient Judea. Herod, being the first mentioned in the book of Matthew, sought out and slaughtered innocent children in the land due to a selfish desire to be the only king of Judea (Matthew 2:1-5; 16). Driven by his paranoid desire for power and control, he murdered children, the most defenseless of life. Not even the outcry of his own people suffering this vile tragedy under him would soften his heart. His rule was as cold as the unprovoked death he brought upon his people.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were wicked men who sought out the honor of men and the wealth of money, using their ethnic lineage as an excuse for non-repentance (Matthew 3:7-10), leading the nation astray for their selfish gain. They sought special recognition and undeserved gain from the same people they burdened with their destructive teachings and practices. For them, their position was the ends to which all their means were justified. This led them to compromise the truth they were supposed to be safe-keepers of and form alliances for their personal gain.

Satan, the most wicked of all, at the height of his arrogance attempted to steal Yeshua’s authority by blasphemously asking Yeshua to worship him (Matthew 4:8-11). All of these rulers, from Herod to Satan, ruled in the arrogance of their sin and lacked any humility to repent from their selfish ways. This was, and is, the way the authorities of this world rule. Yeshua, however, did not want this pattern for His disciples to follow. He desired a path opposite to this type of rule.

God’s kingdom is not of this world and Yeshua taught His disciples an important aspect of this truth. When they began to dispute among themselves who was the greatest, Yeshua demonstrated the foolishness of this worldly thinking by setting a child before them. He literally visualized for them what He was going to tell them.

Yeshua said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).

Greatest through becoming like a child? This is the opposite of what the world expects of its leaders who are always seeking to dominate one another and gain power and authority by force. The world sees childlike humility as weakness and powerlessness, even mocking and condemning such behavior. It is foolishness to the world, yet it is the wisdom of God.

A child has no authority of their own. The parents of the child hold authority over the child as both caretaker and teachers. A child has no standing on their own. The child is completely reliant on their parents for safety and care. Being a child is a humble position that has no power in itself and is completely reliant in every way on their parents. This is the way Yeshua reveals His disciples must be in relation to their Father, God. This means departing from the idea that we can be the ruler of our own lives. When we become like children and have God as our Father, we don’t need our own authority, we don’t need our own standing – God becomes these things for us, which is far greater than what the world can brag of itself.

Yeshua wasn’t only saying that the disciples must be like a child to be great in God’s kingdom. He was stating directly that unless people become like children that they cannot even enter into the kingdom of heaven. This meant – and still means – that unless a person becomes like a child, humbly and submissive to God, they have no part in Him. People unwilling to humble themselves like a child are not allowed to enter the kingdom of God.

But this also means entering the kingdom of God is simple. It doesn’t require status, power, or craftiness; it simply requires humility. Humility to come to God and confess that He alone is able to save us and bring us into His kingdom. Humility to recognize and live in a manner that knows God alone has authority over all things. Humility to see that we have no firm ground to stand on except God alone, who is eternal and unchanging.

"Embrace a life of humility..."

To be like a child is to not seek to gain anything or advance ourselves, but to humbly have God be our all: our Authority, our Foundation, our Salvation. God then decides what sort of path in life we are to take and what responsibilities He will give us. Whether God wants us to raise a Godly family or to preach before the kings of the world, neither makes the person who has received the task greater than the other. Yeshua even stated that John the baptizer (who was like Elijah and proclaimed the kingdom of God was near) is of a lower position that the least in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 11:11).

Do not judge by outer appearance or by how the world sees authority or power. God alone determines this. Instead, let us be like humble children, ready to receive whatever God has prepared for us and then rely on God, Who is our everything. We have nothing apart from Him, so let us not deceive ourselves into thinking we are any greater than we actually are in God’s eyes. Embrace a life of humility and God will raise you up in His plans for you.

Matthew 18:1-4

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org