OOOH OOOH Bless me!

Mark 10:15
Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

It’s easy to get caught up in “act with the faith of a child” attitude as far as our relationship with Christ goes. We don’t have any trouble understanding that type of message. You know, the “just follow Christ and trust that He’ll make it all work out” message? That’s how little children have faith in their parents, right? Oh, but I have realized something: this verse has absolutely nothing to do with faith!

For too long in our churches, we have used this lesson of the children rushing in on Christ as an example of how we are to have childlike faith in what He is doing for our lives. I’ve heard it taught, as I’m sure you have too, that in order to receive the kingdom of God we have to have the faith of a child. Oh, that blind faith that only a child has. If we, as adults, could only trust Jesus with that type of attitude the kingdom would be ours. If we could give and not worry, sacrifice and not fear, serve and not grow weary. But alas, we fail. We’re too logical in our thoughts. We’ve seen too much to believe like a child. Isn’t that right?

That’s wrong! These children weren’t coming to Christ with faithful sacrifices. They weren’t bringing tithes to Him, not bringing offerings, or seeds for a harvest, requests for a healing, or pleas for a new job; rather, they were coming simply to receive from Him. Christ Himself said, “...receive the kingdom of God...” with the implication that it had already been offered. Are you still trying to purchase (for lack of a better word) the kingdom of God with your offerings, your seeds sown in faith? Or are you just coming to Christ, like the children in this passage, to receive what has already been given to you?

There is a big difference in doing or giving something to receive a blessing, and simply taking a blessing. Christ was, in essence, telling His disciples that “if you don’t come to me and freely take all that I have, you’ll never get anything” (obviously paraphrased). He was saying, “I don’t want your stuff. I want you to have my stuff!” (again, paraphrased) The very next verse punctuates Christ’s words. Mark 10:16 states, “And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.”

Notice that He didn’t take Jonny’s stuffed puppy as a freewill love gift. He didn’t tell Sally to sow her dolly for a harvest of Barbie Dream Homes. No, He opened His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed away. The nature of Christ is to open His arms and bless the people. It’s the desire of God. I, for one, fully intend to act like a child with Christ. I’m going to run to Him from now on and just take His blessings.