My husband and I just spent the day baby-sitting three of our grandchildren: one-year-old twin boys and their two-year-old sister. They’re great kids–adorable, funny, energetic, mischievous, and blessed with the ultimate in good fortune; having been born into a large family that surrounds them with unconditional love from the most Significant Persons in their lives. Just like Christians.
Two-year-old Audra has loving parents who give her everything she needs and a lot of what she wants. Audra enjoys a sweet life. Just like a lot of Christians.
When Audra encounters a sharp sliver of reality–say she’s having a great time throwing her toys around, she knocks one of her unsteadily-balanced baby brothers to the floor, and her father says sternly, “Audra, come here!”–she refuses to be cut. Instead of obeying her father, leaving her toys, and helping her brother, she changes the subject. With tears: “Daddy, I..I…I hurt my finger.” Or with anxious fidgeting: “Daddy, I have to potty.” Or with accusations: “Daddy, Brother said ‘Shut up.'” Just like Christians.
We often follow the Lord’s instruction to “become like little children,” by emulating childish ways–manipulation, deception, or finger-pointing. Why not “grow up into Him Who is the head, that is Christ” by adopting a childlike attitude of humility and subordination to the will of God? Just like Christ.
Read about it: Matthew 18:3-4, Ephesians 4:14-15, I Corinthians 13:11