A Child-Like Spirit

"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

One can be childlike without being childish. In dramatic school they taught us to have the head of an adult and the heart of a child. Jesus told these grown men they were to be childlike. And our Lord never asked anyone to be something He was not Himself. We hear much today about being Christlike. The list of characteristics seems to be endless, which has brought about discouragement in many trying to achieve and keep up with this, may I say, grocery-list of things. Simply put, Christ-likeness is child-likeness. And He kept His child-like spirit to the grave.

1. Any and all spiritually gifted and greatly used men and women of God have been marked by a child-like spirit. For example, Solomon. Not only did God grant his request for wisdom but threw in the kitchen sink, so to speak. Why? Listen to him, "And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in." It seems God doesn't deny the likes of him, their desire.

2. Jesus referred to those following Him as "My little children." John picks up on this term, using it no less than nine times in his first epistle, when speaking of God's elect. Paul also uses the the same phrase. We are told in our text God's Kingdom is made up of such. 

3. I have observed that little children are humble, trusting, forgiving, simple, and loving. But the characteristic that is sweetest, I think, is their spirit of wonder. Everyday there seems to something new and fresh about life. And so it should be with us "little children." The evangelist, Gypsy Smith, was asked when he was eighty the secret of his radiant Christian life. He answered, "I guess it is because I have never lost the wonder of it all." Have you, my friend?