I truly have great news this morning! All that we have to do is to become like little children, and then we will enter more fully into the things of God. We have to grow down. How wonderful is that? We tend to complicate things, but it really is that simple!
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3
I tend to think of faith in terms of a strong belief in the miraculous, and yet it's so much more. Faith quite naturally springs like tender lilies from the soil of heart that sees God. Jesus often interrupted his own sermons to ask the religious leaders, "why are you reasoning in your hearts?" as if through applied thought they could apprehend spiritual reality. Jesus, on the other hand, never reasoned anything. He simply listened for the Father's voice and perceived the truth. Man reasons, Jesus perceives.
When Peter famously declared that Jesus was the son of God, the Lord said that Peter didn't figure that out with his flesh and blood mind, but through the Holy Spirit. It is so encouraging to me that faith is revealed to little children who seek God, and that makes each one of us a candidate for great faith!
Faith apprehends reality while unbelief renders us spiritually dense, like dumb rocks unable to see and hear the wisdom that comes from above. Jesus rebuked his disciples for misunderstanding his warning to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. We know that Jesus meant the religious teaching and doctrine, not bread, but this reality was totally missed by his disciples. (Ain't it good to know he kept them around until they got it?) Yes!
But I think we get some clues as to the nature of the problem in his other conversations. When having a little chat with a “wise and learned”
religious leader, Jesus deftly jabs his sword of truth straight into the heart of his religious pride: “How can I speak to you of heavenly things when you
don’t even understand earthly things? Ouch! A man pleaser he was not.
Jesus expressed great delight at how the Father hides things from the “wise and learned” but reveals truth to the “babes.” And who are the babes but those who seek God, for those who seek God will find Him. The wise and learned don't really seek God for in their heart of hearts they don't really need Him all that much.
God rewards our humble seeking with divine revelation of heaven, and most of all, His immense love. Jesus is our example. He perceived, and the religious reasoned. One is flesh and the other is spirit.
Andrew Murray observed that it
takes a spiritual revelation to understand scripture equal to the revelation it
took to write it. We are always dependent on Him. He is the True Vine, and we, the little branches.
We can also see this truth in how Jesus interacted with the Centurion as well as the Gentile woman who essentially asked for the children's scraps that fall to the little dogs under the table. Both had great faith and great humility. The centurion was praised and hailed as one who was “worthy” of a miracle because he had built the people a temple, yet he didn’t see himself that way. Right after they praised him for his worthiness he said, “I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof.”
Humility is simply the ability to see reality. Who is worthy of God's love? Spiritual pride is nothing but spiritual blindness, and if we don’t confess it and receive new hearts, it will grow until we are blind, deaf, and dumb to spiritual things. But He gives more grace!
The Centurion was a "babe". He was a little child, and the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to see Jesus's spiritual authority. Flesh and blood did not reveal this to him. He did not apply his amazing powers of reason to the situation or even to the scriptures to discern that Jesus could command angels!
The Father revealed it to him, and Jesus was astounded.
The humility of the woman begging for a scrap of bread needs
no explanation, and her quick assessment that Jesus was not speaking of bread, and that God's love extended to the Gentile world showed tremendous insight into the Messiah.
“In that hour Jesus
rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Luke
10:21
Lord God, we draw near to your throne of grace to receive
mercy in our deep spiritual need. Search out any hidden pride, intellectual
superiority, and sense of personal worthiness apart from you. Oh Lord, we
worship you for taking our condemnation upon yourself so that we are deemed
blameless in your sight. Give us eyes to see the depths of the Father’s love in
such a radical sacrifice! Thank you that we can draw near to you without fear.
We confess our sins, and rest deeply in the knowledge that you will write your beautiful
nature on the tablet of our hearts, making us just like you, meek, humble, and
lowly in heart with both man and God. Lord, open our eyes. Grant us a spirit of
wisdom and revelation so that we might be filled to overflowing with the love
of God!
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