Second Childhood?

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 18:1-4

We are competitive, aren't we?  We'll turn anything into a competition.  Who can hold their breath the longest?  Who can jump the highest?  Who can eat the most ghost peppers and keep them down?  We all want to be the best at something.

The Disciples weren't any different.  They wanted to know who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Somehow, I can picture the smug, over-confident faces of these who asked Jesus who would be the greatest, feeling as if Jesus would pick one of them. And to their surprise (or dismay) Jesus didn't pick any of them; instead He put a child up as an example of who would be the greatest in Heaven.

Why would Jesus do that?  What's so special about a child that they would be the greatest in Heaven?  Think about it!  Children rely on their parents for everything.  Children trust their parents to love them, care for them, teach them, and provide for them.  Hmmm....isn't that how we are supposed to be with God?  Trusting Him for EVERYTHING?

You see, until we come to the point in our lives that we can set aside our own jaded, cynical, self-serving pride, we are not acting like Children of God!  Until we let God do His job and stop trying to do it in His place, we are not acting like Children of God.

We must become like children with God as our parent. THAT is the example Jesus put before the Disciples....and us.