Learn from Children

“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 NIV

Children are important in the eyes of Jesus. We should not devalue them or treat them as if they are simply a nuisance. We can sense that He really loved children. But then again His point here is not just to elevate the value of children. He wanted instead to highlight the value of humility and childlike faith, which are of course present in children. Adults tend to be… well, like adults. We think we know everything. We filter everything based on our own understanding. If something doesn’t measure up to what we think or believe, even if it’s actually consistent with the word of God, we simply dismiss it. The consequence, of course, is tragic and detrimental, and it is consistent with what the Bible teaches about our fallen nature and its effects. We end up missing the mark, and, oftentimes, we even strenuously aim for the wrong target to begin with. So our failure and frustration increase as our rebellion and pride increase. But children are not like that. They simply want to please their parents, and become like their parents as much as possible. Such is the nature of childlike humility and faith. Can we learn anything from children? Definitely. So let’s not dismiss them outright. Let’s watch and learn from them. We can learn a lot about God’s will and ways by simply letting children teach us.