Unassuming Children

Unassuming Children

Read: Matthew 18:1-4

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 18:4

“For those who would learn God’s ways, humility is the first thing, humility is the second, humility is the third.”

—St. Augustine

IN WORD Most cultures love their children. Few give them any respect or honor. We look down on them. It’s a loving condescension, of course, but it’s a condescension nonetheless. Adults don’t aspire to have the status of little children or strive for their accomplishments. We spend most of our childhood hoping to grow up so we can do more and be more. We aspire to adulthood.

This may be normal human growth, but it runs contrary to the kingdom of God, at least in terms of spiritual development. Our bodies grow, our intellects accumulate knowledge, our talents are developed, and everything about us matures upward. But to mature spiritually, we must go in the opposite direction. We must intentionally avoid seeking status. We must not try to earn spiritual respect. True spiritual maturity and respect in the kingdom of God are issues of humility. And in order to have them, we must become like society’s least impressive contributors—children.

IN DEED Human beings can be quite ambitious. We admire that drive when it comes to athletics, art, business, and every other area of human achievement. We like the prestige and the honor that accomplishments bring us. But when we transfer such ambition to our spiritual life, it misses God’s purpose for us. He did not make us to be spiritually independent. We are entirely dependent creatures, who must learn that the way to grow up is to go down.

Have you learned that status in the kingdom of God is an inverted version of status in the world? The first will be last and the last first (Matthew 20:16). Those who wish to rule must serve (Matthew 20:26). And the greatest in the kingdom of heaven has aspired to the humility of . . . well, just a child. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but it’s a solid principle. Aspire to greatness—the greatness of being discounted like a child. It’s the way up in the kingdom.