Become as Little Children, Part 1

Well, the Talmud tells us that it was a very customary thing for parents to bring their children, their little children, to be blessed by the elders of the synagogue. And in Judaism, there was a special day that was set aside for this. Here's what happened. After the Jews went into captivity in Babylon, they lost their homeland, they lost their temple, they lost their priesthood. So the Jews, in order to maintain their faith, created what were known as the synagogues. And the synagogues actually eventually became the root foundation of the Christian church after the time of Christ.

But to maintain their faith, now that they were in a strange land and the temple was gone, they created synagogues. Places where Jews could go and worship together. And they created a formal service in the synagogue. And one of the roles was to have an elder within the synagogue. Many of the ceremonies and many of the titles or offices of the synagogue are the same as were in the early New Testament church, by the way, including the term elder. And because they had lost the temple, they lost their homeland, they wanted a way for their children to be blessed by God.

So they created the custom that the day before the Day of Atonement, the day before Yom Kippur, was literally set aside for parents to bring their small children to the elder of the synagogue. The elder of the synagogue would lay hands on them and ask God to bless those little children. And the reason they did that is they wanted the Day of Atonement the next day. They wanted the blessings of the Day of Atonement, the Day of Atonement, to be applied to those children who had been blessed the day before as members of their community. So that was the history of where all this started.

So in the time of Christ, it wasn't unusual. It wasn't an unusual thing that parents would have brought their little children to someone whom they thought of as an elder, as a teacher, which was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So that's why that occurred in the first place.

Earlier, we read Mark's account of the blessing of little children. Let's go to Matthew's account now. Matthew 19 and verse 13. Matthew 19 and verse 13. And see the same account from the words of inspired by Matthew. Matthew 19 verse 13. It says, then little children were brought to him that he might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.

But Jesus said, let the little children come to me and do not forbid them. For of such is the kingdom of heaven. What did Jesus mean? What was it about children? That of such, of this kind, the kingdom of heaven is intended as meant for. Verse 15, and he laid hands on them, and of course when he was done, he departed from them.

I'd like to read verse 14 from the New Century version. It says, but Jesus said, let the little children come to me, don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children. So again, I have to ask that question. What qualities do little children have that the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who have those kinds of qualities? Here Jesus makes a profound statement here. He makes a spiritual truth. He said, the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children. So again, I want to ask the question, what did he mean by this comment?

Well, let's revisit an account that happened just a little bit earlier. Matthew chapter 18, beginning in verse 1, because Jesus noticed a quality about the disciples that he did not like. What were the weaknesses of the disciples? Well, at this point in time, they don't have God's Holy Spirit. They've been called, and they're following the literal Son of God. And that's a good thing. But the day of Pentecost hasn't come. They do not yet have God's Holy Spirit.

They are incredibly carnal. Most of the disciples live by one credo, and that is, what's in it for me? And because of that, Jesus is constantly trying to get them away from that to understand what a minister is supposed to be, what service is supposed to be. So Matthew chapter 18, beginning in verse 1, at that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? It says, then Jesus called a little child to him, and he set him in the midst of them. I kind of picture the disciples in a circle or sitting around in a semi-circle, and Jesus gets this little child, great prop, takes this little child and brings it in the midst of the disciples.

Right? And he says, look at this little child. He says, unless you are converted, meaning change from one attitude, one personal philosophy and mindset, carnality, to another, spiritual, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who would leave me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses, for offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes.

So again, Jesus proclaims that we have to be converted and become, take on the qualities, some of the characteristics of a little child to enter the kingdom of heaven. What does he mean by this statement? He also draws an analogy here between a small physical child and a person who is new and tender in the faith. He says when someone walks through that door, to receive them warmly, to love them to someone who is new in the faith is like loving and receiving Jesus Christ himself.

That's how important it is, and that's why we have to be so loving and we have to be a caring people. I received another phone call this week from someone who asked where church services are. Total stranger, not on the good news mailing list. I'm getting more and more emails, more and more calls, brethren. And it is so important when they walk through that door that they feel cared for and loved unconditionally.

Do they have problems? Absolutely! And God will work through their problems. And they'll work through their situations until they can fully embrace the faith that God is calling them to. But it is so important. I have maintained, and I will continue to maintain, that when we as a congregation are caring and loving and people sense it, they will come through that door. There are thousands of people in Greater Cleveland that God is working through in one way or another.

And when we provide the warm, loving home and environment, they will be able to enter that door and discover something beautiful and wonderful that we know of as God's way of life. But on the other hand, any single congregation or any church organization that is cold, aloof, exclusive and arrogant, why would God want to bring one of His precious children into that kind of environment? He loves His children too much.

So we have to be a warm and a loving people who are welcoming to people that are tender, that are new in the faith. Jesus says, on the other hand, to offend and discourage someone who is new in the faith because we have a personal agenda or our own personal problems or whatever it may be, He says to discourage or offend someone who is new in the faith brings personal condemnation. And we certainly don't want to face that by no means. Let's go to Mark 9 and verse 33. Mark 9 and verse 33.

Mark was inspired to write, and he, speaking of Jesus, came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house, he asked them, what was it you disputed among yourselves on the road? Now, Jesus knew what they were talking about. He's the Son of God. He reads hearts and minds. He wanted to see if one of them, if one of those followers had the courage to admit what they were talking about.

But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves. Who would be the greatest? Do you see a reoccurring theme here among the disciples? And he sat down and he called the twelve and he said to them, if anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. Then he took a little child and set him in the midst of them.

And when he had taken him in his arms, so Jesus takes this little child and lifts that little child up into his own arms, he said to them, whoever receives one of these little children in my name receives me. And whoever receives me receives not me, but him who sent me. In other words, you receive not only me, but you receive the Father. You have a loving, right kind of relationship with God. And again, holding this small child is a spiritual analogy and message to the disciples that the way you are now isn't good enough. The thoughts and attitudes that you constantly have about, am I important? Am I being recognized? Do I have prestige? Do I have a title? Do I have power? Do I have money? Do I have all these things? Jesus, that means absolutely nothing in the kingdom of God.

The disciples were carnal, they were selfish, and like most people, they were far too concerned with status and power. They didn't understand that in the kingdom of God, greatness is defined by service, not by celebrity or titles. The reason someone is given a hundred cities rather than ten cities isn't so they have so much more power.

The reason is that they have proven that they love and care for people so much that they can be entrusted with 100 cities to rule and manage well rather than only ten. It's not about power, it's not about how many cities I have, how many titles I have, it's about how many people can I serve. That is what greatness is in the kingdom of God. God takes what this world values and He completely turns it upside down. It's a new world, it's a new kingdom.

So, brethren, as we take a look at this, the disciples again were carnal and they were selfish. And what can we learn about these scriptures today that can help us to have these childlike qualities? I'd like to give some of the traits that we need to develop and focus on and work on so that we can enter the kingdom of God as little children. Now, I have to give a slight disclaimer.

Not all little children. Little children are born with different personalities and different temperaments. Some little children are whiny. Some little children before bedtime are cranky, are stubborn. So, the qualities that I'm mentioning here are typical, but they're not universal qualities among all little children. But if you see a healthy, balanced little child, these are the qualities that they have in their lives. Qualities that you and I should emulate that should be very important to us.

Let's begin with quality number one, which is genuine humility. Genuine humility. The American Heritage Dictionary says this. It says it defines humility. Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit, not arrogant or prideful. That's the first meaning that it gives. Not arrogant or prideful. The second definition, showing deferential or submissive respect. Third, low in rank or stationed, unpretentious or lowly. Have you ever pushed yourself in the world of little children? Normal little children live in a world where everyone and everything is larger than they are.

All you see are legs. You see these big behemoths. It would be like us as adults meeting dinosaurs. You see these big behemoths who can run seemingly at the speed of light. Mother can yell, no! And be across the room in a split second, grabbing you by the ear, correcting you. You're just a little person. Adults move around at incredible speed. They seem to be all wise and all knowing.

This places little children in a role of being subservient to their parents. They accept authority because they know that they are physically and intellectually inferior to their mature parents and their older siblings. And as a result of this, they usually want to please their parents.

They want to do good things. They want to get recognition and please their parents. They want their parents to think highly of them. They want to be loved for the things that they do well.

And as the spiritual children of God, this is how we should view our Father and our elder brother, Jesus Christ. They are an authority over us. We are just mere weak human beings who have to depend on the very next breath to continue our existence.

We, understanding that, should be a very humble people. Let's go to 1 Peter, chapter 5, beginning in verse 5. 1 Peter, chapter 5, beginning in verse 5. As we focus on the concept of genuine humility, not a false humility. Not a pretend humility while we're in church, but then we go home and treat our spouses and children and our neighbors with disrespect or arrogantly, but a genuine humility that is part of our character.

1 Peter, chapter 5, verse 5. Peter is writing, Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. That's humility. He continues, he says, Yes, all of you, that's every one of us, all of you, be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility. For God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble, therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Humble yourself today so that God can promote you tomorrow.

Verse 7, casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. He's a loving and a caring God, a Father.

Verse 8, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And whom does the lion devour? The lion devours those who got into a point in their spiritual lives where they flipped a switch and they said, I'm better than everyone else.

I'm smarter than other Christians. I have greater knowledge and I am superior. And that is the root, that is the beginning of a downward spiral into literally being devoured by the adversary the devil. When we lose humility, we set ourselves up for failure.

Verse 9, resist him steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. No matter where you go in the world, no matter what their skin color, what language they speak, we as God's people all face the same temptations and the same trials, the same problems. It's universal. Holman's Bible dictionary defines humility as, quote, a personal quality in which the individual shows dependence on God and respect for other persons, end of quote. Humility means you acknowledge and respect God and His creation. That's other people.

Humble people don't feel the need to constantly express their ideas, to constantly express their opinions to others. They don't believe they're better or superior to others. They don't see constant attention or prestige. Humble people rigidly maintain their values, but they are patient and generous with others who have different views.

Humble people accept the fact that they might be wrong. You know, I've been conversations with people and it's like either I'm right or they're right and they don't understand that it's possible that we could both be wrong. Yeah, I'm humble enough to understand that. I'm a mere human being and I don't have all knowledge. I've had to unlearn some things that I were taught that I found out were not biblical in the 70s. So I'm humble enough to realize that I need to grow and change and mature and that I can be wrong. That is a hallmark of humility. That doesn't mean I'm going to abandon my values. Not until you prove something different to me am I going to change my value system, which is the hard and core of everything that I believe in, that what makes me who and what I am. But I can be patient and generous with you if you have a different view. Matthew chapter 22 and verse 34. Matthew chapter 22 and verse 34.

A hallmark of humility. He says, But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, then one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him, saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your mind. That's the first four of the ten commandments, I might add. This is the first and great commandment. Verse 39, and the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Everything, he said, that you think are valuable, the law and the prophets, hangs on the fact that you will love God with all your heart, your soul, and your mind, and you'll love your neighbor as yourself. You're not superior to your neighbor. You're not better than your neighbor. On the other hand, he doesn't say, hate yourself and hate your neighbor. He says, love your neighbor to the same degree that you love ourselves. We love ourselves a lot, don't we? I mean, we pamper ourselves, we try to avoid pain, we usually eat every day, right? We want to dress nicely. We love ourselves a lot. We take care of ourselves. And there's nothing wrong with that as long as we care for other people as much as we care for ourselves. The problem always starts out when someone thinks they are smarter, superior to other people. That's when the problem begins. Humility places God first and puts other people on an equal level with yourself, meaning you respect them, you're patient with them, you're kind to them, even when they're not kind to you. You say this person, called or not, is the creation of Almighty God. Therefore, I am required to show respect and care for this creation, this potential son or daughter of the living God someday when he takes the blinders off their eyes and when he calls them into his family. So again, point number one was genuine humility. Point number two, this actually has four features or four parts to this point, a childlike attitude. A childlike attitude. There are four aspects of a childlike attitude. The first one is forgiveness. Ever notice, and I've noticed this with my grandchildren, I've loved watching my grandchildren grow up because I'm now at a stage in my life when I can observe them and enjoy them. You know, when you're a father, you're so busy earning a living, you don't pay attention to your own children like you should. You get so wrapped up in, how am I going to pay the bills? And the faucet is leaking and the toilet overflowed. And all these things you have in your mind as a father that you don't really enjoy your children growing up. The next thing you know, they're adults. But as a grandfather, you are able to sit back and observe and enjoy the qualities that they have when they're small. Ever notice that when children get into a fight with one of their siblings, or maybe they have conflict with mom or dad and they're corrected or spanked, that a few minutes later, all is forgotten and they're back to enjoying life again? You say, you have to become an adult to learn how to resent people. You have to grow up to learn how to carry grudges forever. Right? That's an adult quality. That's not the quality of a little child. It's amazing how I've seen over the years, two little children get into a squabble and then the parents get involved. Right? Five minutes later, the children are playing again and the parents hate each other for the next 30 years. The difference between a child-like attitude and forgiveness and the way we are as adults. Again, at this stage in life, a little child, they're not old enough to learn how to carry perpetual anger, bitterness, and grudges towards others. Matthew 6 and verse 9. Matthew 6 and verse 9. The importance of forgiveness.

When I was a little child, I attended an elementary school on the east side of Cleveland called East Clark Elementary School. I don't even know if it exists anymore. It was the typical brick school. And I attended this elementary school in the late 1950s and it was naturally integrated. The way it was situated there in the east side of Cleveland, it was near about 140th and St. Clair Avenue. It was a little elementary school and there were African-American neighborhoods and people worked in the factories. There were white neighborhoods, people worked in the factories, and naturally, integration occurred in this elementary school. It wasn't forced by the government. It wasn't commanded by judges. It was natural integration. And you know what? We loved each other. As little kids in the school, we'd play and sometimes we would have squabbles. It was never, never brought up about skin color. The squabbles were the kind of squabbles any kids would have. And five minutes later, we were playing together because we cared and we genuinely loved each other.

It wasn't until we were taught how to hate by adults that we differentiated people because of their skin color. That didn't mean anything to us as children. We just wanted to play and have fun with one another. We didn't have those barriers until we were taught to have those barriers. Matthew 6, verse 9, In this manner, therefore pray, O Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, one day at a time. Notice he says, give us this day our needs. Now, God, give me everything I'm going to need for the next 20 years. God says, no, it doesn't work that way. You need to come back and talk to me every day for what you need every day. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. For if you forgive men, their trespasses. Here's where forgiveness kicks in. Your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. My, is that powerful? You know, I read that every Passover, and some people just don't get it. Verses 14 and 15 from the translation, God's Word for today. If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. If you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures. I think that puts it in a powerful, profound way. Again, we often read these scriptures around the Passover, and some of us may go through all the preparation of the Spring Holy Day. We take the leaven out of our houses. We read articles. We meditate on the Spring Holy Day. We may even partake of the Passover service, but our actions will not be respected by God, and in many cases, our sins are not forgiven at the Passover.

Why? Because we come to the Passover with anger, resentment, and unforgiveness towards another person or towards God. And that's why Jesus said, if you have something against your brother before you come to the temple and give an offering, deal with the situation with your brother, then come to God, because it doesn't do you any good. And if we walk in the Passover service with a chip in our shoulder, with an agenda in our hearts towards people or God or whatever, we can go through all the motions of taking the wine and eating the bread, and we walk out the door laden with sin in the eyes of Jesus Christ. We don't want that kind of condemnation, do we? And why? Because he says, to the same degree you forgive, you will be forgiven. That's what Jesus Christ says here. To the same degree. Don't we really want to be forgiven completely, so we don't have to face severe judgment in front of Jesus Christ? The answer is to use the power of the Holy Spirit to redevelop a Christ-like attitude of forgiveness and let go of the grudges and the resentment and the anger and the bitterness, because we want God to forgive and let go of our sins, don't we?

That is why forgiveness is such an important quality and it's demonstrated by little children who, after they've been in a squabble, after they've had a problem within minutes, they're back to playing with each other. Again, it's all forgotten.

Life is too precious to carry around grudges and hurt and pain. And let me tell you something about carrying around a grudge or resentment. If you carry around a grudge or resentment to the other person, you lose.

Long after they don't care anymore, it's affected your life for years, it stunted your growth, it has held you back. Long after they've moved on and probably haven't even thought about it, you're still reliving it in your mind over and over again. Refresh over and over again the hurt, the pain, the alienation, the feeling.

That doesn't do any of us any good, brethren. Let it go. Forgive and move on. Again, a beautiful quality that children, little children, have. The second aspect of having a childlike attitude is enthusiasm.

Small children have an enthusiasm for life.

They look forward to each new day with zest and wonder. Oftentimes, they're the first one awake. Long after mom and dad would like to sleep another hour, hour and a half, they're up playing in their crib because that's what they do. Even though children, small children, they get corrected. And even though they hear, oh, often, and even though they're forced to do things against their personal will, like go to bed, they rarely get discouraged or lose hope. Because life is exciting. Life is wonderful. Their resilience and their enthusiasm for life soon rebounds, even if they've been spanked, even if they've been corrected, even though they go to bed against their will, they wake up the next morning with bounding energy, with enthusiasm. Towards the coming day. Let's go to 2 Corinthians 7, beginning in verse 5.

This is an example from the early church. To give you the little context here, Paul wrote a letter called 1 Corinthians, and it was very strong. It was very corrective. And he didn't know how the church would respond. I mean, it was that strong, and if you read it, as we've covered it in Bible studies years ago, but if you go through 1 Corinthians, he is very hard on the whole congregation for their attitude of compromise and tolerance. As I've said before, they were so tolerant, if they put their heads sideways, their brains would fall out of their head. And Paul strongly corrects the congregation for a number of problems that it has, and even tells them to put someone out of the church who they were dithering and refusing to do, even though the problem was committing a sin, a sexual sin that was so perverse, even the Gentiles would be shocked to hear what this individual was doing. And it was a very strong letter, and after he wrote the letter, he sent Titus to follow up to visit them. And here's what he's saying. This is 2 Corinthians, chapter 7 and verse 5, with that context. For indeed, he says, When we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts. Inside were fears. Now, that's a tough life. When outside are conflicts, and inside your heart and mind you're fearful. You don't know if you're going to live another day. You don't know if you're going to be stoned today. You don't know if you're going to be ridden out of town on a rail. You don't know if you're going to be slapped. You don't know if you're going to be put in jail. This is the kind of situation that Paul faced almost every day. Verse 6, Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, by his returning from visiting that congregation, I might add, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you. When he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more, for even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. He wrote a very strong letter, and after he sent it, he said to himself, Boy, that was strong! I wonder if I should have sent the letter. Have you ever done anything like that? I know I have. Ever sent an email, and after you hit the enter button, you said, Oh! I wish I could take that back. One of the first sales jobs that I ever had, and I was like in my mid-twenties. This was really a primo job. I was the district manager of all of Northern Ohio, and I had a secretary whose name was Gloria. And my boss was the traditional male chauvinist pig from the 1960s. He looked at women in a demeaning way. He treated them with disrespect. To him, they were little more than sexual objects. He had a conversation with my secretary, who was like ten years older than I was. He was rude and offensive and arrogant. I came back to the office after making sales calls, and I talked to her. I really got upset when she told me a conversation that he had with her. So I wrote him a letter. I mean, I blistered. As soon as I should have been fired, that's how strong the letter was. In those days, especially when you're talking about the 80s, people were terminated for a lot lighter things than chewing your boss out and writing.

As soon as I dropped that letter in the mailbox, it was like, Your arm is down there. Can I feel it?

So I went back to the office. I said, How am I going to explain to my wife next week that I've been fired? I better come up with a plan. And the thing was that I didn't hear anything for two or three weeks. Then he called me, and he just said very casually, Oh, about your letter. I thought, Oh, here's coming. He said, You can stick the letter up your, I won't repeat, finish his sentence. And that's all he ever said. I didn't lose my job. Everything was fine. The moral of that story was that about two years later, he died. And I was asked to go to North Carolina to replace his job. And he didn't keep many things in his desk. But in his desk was a copy of that letter. And his boss told me that he changed after he received that letter. That it had an impact on him. Now, he certainly wouldn't admit it to me. But the things I told him about himself and his attitude and his perspective on people, and on my secretary in particular, had an impact on his life. Not too many people think about it, would keep a letter around it, would someone rip you up one side, and most of us can't wait to put it through the shredder, because we're so angry. We certainly don't want it to be kept around forever. But he kept that letter. But I certainly have been gone through times when I sent a letter, and I regretted it. And that's what Paul is saying. Again, he said, For even though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now, I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. In other words, you were chewed out, but the results were good. You didn't suffer loss in us for nothing. Verse 10, For godly sorrow produces repentance, leading to salvation, not to be regretted, even if it's painful, I might add, but the sorrow of the world produces death. Why? Because the sorrow of the world isn't repenting. It isn't determining the change. The sorrow of the world is, oh, I got caught. Oh, now I have to be punished, because I've been found out for who and what I really am. That's the sorrow of the world, and it produces death. Verse 11, For observe this very thing that you sorrowed in a godly manner. And here's the result. What diligence it produced in you? What clearing of yourselves? What indignation? What fear? What beeminent desire? What zeal? What vindication in all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter? So here's an example of a congregation that received severe correction from the Apostle Paul in a letter. And instead of it creating bitterness and resentment towards Paul, they took at the heart and they repented. And the end result was that they were on fire with enthusiasm for their own congregation and to do the work of God that they had been called to do. That's why enthusiasm is so important. Let's go to Psalm 20, verse 1. Psalm 20, verse 1.

David wrote here.

David wrote, May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob defend you.

May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you in Zion.

May he remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice, Selah. May he grant you according to your heart's desire and fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation and the name of the Lord. We will set up our banners.

May the Lord fulfill all of your petitions.

You see, brethren, there's a reason to be enthusiastic because God loves us. He wants to strengthen us. He wants to answer our prayers. He wants to give us our hearts' desires. He wants to fulfill his purposes for us.

He wants to answer all of our prayers or our petitions. David was known to be a passionate and enthusiastic servant of God. Remember how he danced when the ark was being brought towards Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6. Do we have a zeal and an enthusiasm about our life and about our calling? Do we have a song of joy in our hearts and in our minds daily? Or have we let the cares of this world pull us down into melancholy?

That little child wakes up every morning enthusiastic about the next day. Enthusiastic about the gift of another day of life. And that's how we should be as well. Another point regarding a childlike attitude is the joy of learning. The joy that comes with learning new things.

To a small child. There's discovery and learning about the world. Knowledge comes naturally because they joyfully explore the physical world. They examine things closely to see how they work and why they work, what works and what doesn't. Look at a small child examine a wheel or one small little thing. They'll bite it and they'll drool on it and they'll play with it and they'll turn the wheel. What are they doing? They're soaking in information. They're learning about something new. They begin to verbalize what they see and hear. This is how we should be spiritually. We should have a great level of excitement as we learn about true spiritual things. Let's see an example of a simple woman who realized the beauty of learning about God. 1 Samuel 2 and verse 1.

1 Samuel 2 and verse 1. This is Hannah's prayer. Hannah was Samuel's mom. You may remember the story. She could not conceive and have a child. She was accused of being drunk by a lie when she was praying and asking God for a son. She said, God, if you give me a son, I will dedicate him to you. That son was Samuel. Here's what she says when her prayers are answered. 1 Samuel 2 and verse 1. Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord. My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies. She didn't fear anyone. She said, I smile. They're nothing.

I smile at my enemies because I rejoice in your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord. There is none beside you. Nor is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly. Let no arrogance come from your mouth. For the Lord is the God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

The bows of mighty men are broken, and those who stumbled are girded with strength. She's going to show it in a series of statements here. How in one second God can change everything around. You can be flat in your face, and the next thing a second later you can be exalted. You can think you're king of the earth, and a second later you'll be grubbing on the ground like a worm.

Verse 5, those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who had so much to eat are now hiring their time laborers so that they can find something to eat. And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, and she who has many children has become feeble. The Lord kills and the Lord makes alive. He brings down to the grave and He brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich. He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap. To set them among princes and He makes them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and He has set the world upon them. He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail. Verse 10, the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His King and exalt the horn of His anointed. What is Hannah saying here? She's saying true knowledge. I mean, real knowledge. Not man, psycho, babble. True knowledge comes from God. And our calling from the Father is a gift. I want you to notice how Hannah puts life in proper perspective. She has no reason to fear her enemies. She has no reason to fear mighty men or boasters or those who are in temporary positions of power around her. The God of knowledge, she says, is in control of everything. They're only there because God allows them to be there this minute. But in a second, everything can and someday will be changed. The God of knowledge is in control of everything, and He can change things, as they say, in a New York minute. God guards His saints and He raises them up when the time is right. So she says, knowledge, not boasting, not babble, not arrogance, not pride, knowledge, that which lasts, that which is true, that which is wholesome and eternal comes from God. Second Peter, Chapter 1, beginning in verse 1. Second Peter, Chapter 1, beginning in verse 1. Peter wrote, Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of God and Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and in Jesus Christ our Lord. Verse 3, by His divine power, He has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him, who called us by glory and virtue.

Verse 4, by which we have been given exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. In other words, you may possess the Holy Spirit and be able to tap into a whole new plane of existence, the spiritual world, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, but also for this very thing giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge, the joy of learning. Knowledge to add to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control perseverance and perseverance, godliness and to godliness, brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness, love.

Verse 8, if these things are yours and abound, we will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For He who lacks these things is short-sighted even to blindness and has forgotten that He was cleansed from His old sins. So, brethren, because we've been given access to God's Holy Spirit, which is the divine nature, we can add spiritual knowledge to our faith.

Now, I don't want this to be confused with fables and myths and personal agendas that far too many people try to layer on top of spiritual knowledge. Sadly, there are many vain, there are many pompous and self-righteous people who want a following of their own. They simply crave attention. So, they pass off delusional psycho-babble as if it's spiritual truth, something required for salvation. And why do they do that? Because they get attention when they say that. They create fear in people. You mean, I lack something for salvation? You mean, there's something I don't know? And, of course, they misunderstand the fact that our righteousness comes from Jesus Christ. Our righteousness is never anything that we can do. When we receive God's Holy Spirit, we desire to be obedient and we strive to change and grow. But nothing we do saves us. Jesus Christ in His shed blood and Jesus Christ inside us makes us righteous, not lacking something that we're not doing. And that's a real problem, unfortunately, in the 21st century, particularly with our Internet age. I want you to remember that learning and genuine spiritual truth come from the God of knowledge, not mere men, masquerading as superior people who know something that you don't. So I don't want you to confuse the two. The fourth quality of a childlike attitude is childlike faith. Childlike faith.

A small child, they don't question it. They believe exactly what they're told. They're trusting. They trust that their parents are telling them the truth. They believe that their parents want what is best for them. And this is a good biblical principle and attitude to have towards God. Let's go to Matthew 9, verse 27.

How is our faith? Is our faith childlike? Is it basic? Is it God said it? It must be true. Or, over time, have we begun to have doubts and fears? Maybe there were times that God didn't answer our prayers immediately, so we thought the answer was no. When maybe the answer was wait. Maybe the answer was not now. And because a prayer wasn't answered immediately, we interpreted it as God isn't hearing my prayers. Matthew 9, verse 27.

Jesus said to them, do you believe that I'm able to do this? Okay, you've come to my house. You want me to heal you. I have one question. Do you believe that I am able to do this? And they said, yes, Lord. Then he touched their eyes and said, according to your faith. See, Jesus had enough faith. It wouldn't be because Jesus Christ lacked something. He said, if you want to be healed and if you want light to enter your eyes, and for all those beautiful processes to occur within your brain, to turn those upside down images right side up as they're translated into your head and see, and all these marvelous things that my Father created, if you want that to happen, it's according to your faith. Verse 30, and their eyes were opened and Jesus sternly warned them, saying, see that no one knows it. We won't go any further. And of course, the first thing they did is make sure that they went and told everybody.

Faith is perhaps the most undeveloped gift we have as God's people. I mean, I'm going to proclaim that very boldly. Faith is our most undeveloped gift in the Church of God. Maybe it's because in our secular scientific age, where we pride ourselves with reason and logic, and we look for proof and everything, and all of those concepts are so idealized that we have a problem believing that what God tells us is possible to do with a living faith. Maybe it's because we just become so jaded, or again, as I mentioned earlier, we ask God for something, and it doesn't happen, and we interpret that as no, and God most likely is saying not yet, when you're ready, when the time is right, and we say, oh, well, then I like faith. I guess I like faith, or I guess God doesn't love me.

Let's go to Matthew, a few chapters back. Matthew 21 and verse 18, as we look at childlike faith.

Matthew 21 and verse 18. It says, now, in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry, and seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it, and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, let no fruit grow, and you ever again immediately the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, how did the fig tree wither away so soon? So Jesus answered and said to them, assuredly I say to you, if, and I was talking to men who don't even have God's Holy Spirit, so just think what we're capable of, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but if you say to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done.

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. Those are the words of Jesus Christ. Do we demonstrate that kind of faith as an individual or as a church? Again, I have to admit that it's the most undeveloped gift that we have usually as individuals and have as a church. In order for us to have this kind of faith, we have to have a pure and an honest and a trusting attitude towards God and towards His promises. You know, I've noticed over the years that when new people are called into the church, because they're new in the faith and they're tender and they're Christ-like, when new people come into the church, usually their prayers are answered immediately. It's rather remarkable. They ask for something in divine intervention. It happens. The problem is with us old, grizzled veterans who have seen so much and been through so much and been discouraged that we begin to doubt and we begin to lack belief and faith in our prayers.

And then they're not answered. Jesus said, according to your faith, let it be to you. Brother, we can learn a lot by observing the simplicity of little children. When you get a time, just stop and watch them and enjoy them. They're not consumed with materialism. They're not worried about deadlines. They have all the time. Ever see a little child look at us watch constantly? No. Time means nothing to them. I'm not saying we should all filter in here for church whenever we feel like it. Let's not carry this analogy too far. But what I am saying is they're not materialistic. They're not under the pressure of deadlines. They have no need to feel superior. They are just enjoying life. So let's recapture the positive child-like qualities that Jesus Christ referred to when he placed his hands on little children in Matthew 18. And he said, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Have a wonderful Sabbath.