Becoming Like a Child, Even as You Grow Older
“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” - Mark 10:15
Here is a case where context is especially helpful in understanding a somewhat mysterious saying of Jesus. Before He surprises his disciples, rebuking them for preventing children from coming to Him, Jesus had it out with the Pharisees who were trying to get him to slip up - to say something contrary to the law on matters of divorce in order to accuse him. They are the antithesis of the children that Jesus welcomes. One group comes to him vindictively. The other, presumably without guile. From this contrast, we may ponder part of what Jesus means when he talks about the manner by which people receive His eternal kingdom. The contrast with the Pharisees seems to suggest that they don’t come to Jesus with hidden motives.
There is, however, another contextual clue that helps color the meaning of the childlike manner that people receive and thereby enter His kingdom. Just after this episode concerning children, a rich young man comes to Jesus, asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. What’s this young man like? Evidently, he loves God’s law and from his own account, he made considerable strides in obeying it since childhood. Mark then tells us something unusual in the gospels, that Jesus loved him. To be clear, it’s not unusual for Jesus to love people, but rarely do we hear it stated so explicitly. Jesus goes on to tell the rich man that he lacks one thing. “Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (21) At this, the young man, unable to part with his possessions, went away sorrowful. Jesus then goes on about how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
What might we learn from the rich young man? That for some, wealth and possessions prevent them from entering the kingdom. How so? Well, consider the child metaphor that Jesus puts forward just before this encounter. What child do you know that obsesses over wealth? Anecdotally, I grew up in an apartment that totaled 850 Sq. Ft. It was quite small by some standards, with 4 of us crammed in there. But here’s the deal: we lived in a mansion for all we cared. To my recollection, it never once struck me or my sister Mandie that we were anything but well off. You see, kids don’t seem to care much about houses and money. We laughed a lot. We had parents who were kind and responsible. That’s what mattered to us.
To add, with regard to provisions, we trusted our parents inherently. I know that may not be your experience either of home or family. But one thing I can say, children tend to be trusting when it comes to provisions and content when it comes to stuff. As when my parents came home from a trip to an orphanage in Hyderabad, India, they were wrecked for days having seen thousands of orphans who were destitute and without parents smiling from ear to ear, trying to give my parents gifts!
I believe that the context of Jesus’ declaration in 10:15 is deeply contrasted both with the Pharisees who had hidden motives and by the rich young man, who was ambitious for wealth. Both are hinderances to entering the kingdom. And perhaps both of them at times, touch us. But notice that when Jesus was explaining about the wealthy entering the kingdom, he refers to the disciples as what? Children. Ha! I wonder if like me, you missed that after 20 years of Bible reading. Someone pointed it out to me this week! It’s right there in chapter 10:24: “And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!” This is the only time in Mark’s Gospel that he calls them children! After the rich young man failed to enter the kingdom as of yet, virtuous man as he was, the disciples were fast losing hope for their own kingdom prospects! And so, they say, “Then who can be saved?” (26) Jesus replies, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (27) In other words, you are God’s children. You are not like the Pharisees or the like the rich young man. You are mine. You are family.
Dear friends, it will take a whole lifetime to become like children. Pray for God’s grace, that you would grow astonishingly dependent and content in God through Jesus. Spiritually speaking, we should in this sense be a bunch of Benjamin Buttons - getting younger, even as we get older. With man, it’s impossible. But with God, anything is possible.
