"A Little Child Will Lead Them"
Hugo McCord
If only fathers qualify to become "elders in every church" (Titus 1:5-6; Acts 14:23), how could Isaiah predict that "a little child will lead" men of beastly nature, men like wolves, leopards and lions? (11:6; 65:25)? Why did Jesus say that "the greatest" person in the "kingdom," the "church" (Matthew 16:18-19; 18:1), is like "a little child" (Matthew 18:4)?
A "dispute arose among" the twelve apostle (Luke 9:46). Jesus asked them, "‘What were you discussing along the road?’ They remained silent, for in the way they had discussed among themselves who was the greatest" (Mark 9:33-34).
In an object lesson, the Master Teacher "sat down, called the twelve," and "took a little child, placed him in their midst, took him into his arms" and said, "Indeed I assure you that, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mark (9:35-36; Matthew 18:3). Are there baptized people who have never entered the kingdom? Yes, said Jesus, if they have not "become like little children" (Matthew 18:3).
Jesus explained, "Therefore, he who humble himself (tapeinosei heauton) like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4). Baptism is the door of admission into the "one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13), which is "the church" (Ephesians 1:22), which is "the kingdom" (John 3:5), but one of the prerequisites to baptism is a child-like humility (Matthew 18:3-4).
What is child-like humanity? When a person of any age, male or female, of any skin color, "humbles himself" (Matthew 18:4), he rises "not far from the ground" in "lowliness of mind" with "a deep sense of" his moral "littleness" (Thayer, 614). He has a"a modest opinion" of himself, bringing down his "pride" (Ibid.)
Humble people, far from bragging on themselves, always say, "We are unworthy servants" (Luke 17:10). They never take credit for anything they do, but simply say, "We have done what we ought to do" (Luke 17:10).
Jesus gave an example of a man so humble he "would not even look up to heaven" as he prayed, "but beat his breast and said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner’" (Luke 18:13). One can say of hat man, as Jesus said of another, "You are not far from the kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34).
TINY TEACHERS
Children are the best teachers in the world. They teach young women how to be mothers and young men how to be fathers. They teach older men and women how to be grandparents. They even teach other children how to be brothers and sisters.
Think about all the skills children teach people. They teach moms how to be nurses and dads how to be heroes. They teach brothers and sisters how to share toys, rooms, dreams and cookies. They even teach teachers how to teach in creative and fun ways.
Children teach the world how to love. They teach us to look past a person’s skin color right to his or her heart. They teach us how to be honest, open and innocent. And they teach us how to hug and laugh and be enthusiastic.
Children make us keep our promises because they never forget one that we make. They even make us into scientists and professors by asking "Why?" about everything that moves and many things that don’t.
Isn’t it interesting that while we are teaching our children to be adults, they are teaching us how to be children? That’s especially important when we remember that Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these (Matthew 19:14) -- Mary Hollingsworth.
TWO PRAYERS
Last night my little boy confessed to me
Some childish wrong:
And kneeling at my knee,
He prayed with tears,
"Dear God, make me a man
Like Daddy--wise and strong;
I know you can."
Then while he slept,
I knelt beside his bed,
Confessed my sins
And prayed with low-bowed head,
"O God, make me a child
Like my child here--
Pure, guideless,
Trusting Thee with faith sincere."
Andrew Gilles, 1870-1942