Nothing is more enjoyable to me than watching children play, grow and develop. Nothing is more tiresome and detestable than watching adults thinking and acting childishly. Paul said it well in I Cor. 13:11 (KJV), "When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
Jesus gave us an opposite viewpoint when asked by His disciples, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Matt. 18:1b (KJV) He answered in verse three, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." Using a child in the crowd as an example, Jesus continued in verse four, "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Thank You, Father, for giving us such valuable lessons.
Grow up, then, as Christians, and don't continue to be childish. But, never get over being completely dependent on God and totally trusting in Him. Peter wrote in II Peter 3:18a, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." John penned in his gospel in John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God." We need to constantly mature in our relationship with God and yet, never forget that we are His Children.
One of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century was Karl Barth. Whether or not one agrees with him entirely is immaterial. He was, none the less, a great Christian thinker, student and teacher. A renowned minister of the gospel, Rev. Bryn MacPhail, recalled in one of his sermons an account of Dr. Barth visiting the University of Chicago. At a press conference, one of the questions asked was, "Dr. Barth, what is the most profound truth you have learned in your studies?" Without hesitation he replied, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
How wonderfully child-like, but not childish.
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