Q and A

Question: What does Jesus mean when He says that a person must become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 18:3?

Answer: Matthew 18:1-4 says, “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put them in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus specifically mentioned the need to humble oneself as a child in verse 4 so clearly that is primarily what he had in mind. I cannot help but think about my own children as I consider this passage. They do not always like to do what their mother and I tell them to do, nor do they always do it is promptly as we would like. However, at the end of the day they always do it with a very humble and submissive, “I’ll do it, Daddy.”

I believe this is what Jesus is driving toward in the first few verses of Matthew 18. Young children ultimately desire to please their parents. They want to see their parents smile at them, feel their embrace, and hear them say “Well done.” I see this on a daily basis with my own young children. They are kids so they need regular correction, and they have learned through experience that “for the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant (Hebrews 12:11), but it is abundantly clear that they want to please Jackie and I. They have never thought themselves too self-important to obey us. They have never claimed to have too much going on in their lives to follow our commands. They obey, not just because they know they’ll be punished if they don’t, but because they love and trust us. Their parent’s protection and care means the world to them and they delight in making us happy.

If we would see the kingdom of heaven we must be exactly like this. It would do us all a world of good to recall that we are but men (Psalm 9:20) and as such do not begin to compare to God’s power, wisdom, or ability. Even so, He delights in us and would be our Father. Our response must be that of the little child to his parent. I am never too self-important to heed God. Next to Him, I have no social standing nor do I desire one. I will gladly be the lowly doorkeeper and the unworthy servant (Psalm 84:10; Luke 17:10) if it means being near my God.

Let us cast out pride, arrogance, and any thought of self-sufficiency. We need our heavenly Father even more than the young child needs his parents.