We must be like what? A child?

[AlanFromWichita]

Luke 18:15-17

People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”

Funny thing in the spirituality forum we worry so much about sin, as if sin is the only thing that can keep us from God. What about our very mentality?

Do we not all strive to be part of the kingdom of God? Then why do we argue about teachings, and fight over whether each others’ sins are mortal, like Grumpy Old Men?

But Jesus says if we are like Grumpy Old Men rather than a child, we will not see the kingdom of God.

So why not explore and share our ideas about what it means to be “like a child?”

Is it because a child has blind trust? Unlimited imagination? Humility? Lack of presumption? Does not presume to know more than others? Doesn’t distinguish between reality and make-believe land? Doesn’t know how to take things overly seriously? Has no agenda? Open to new ideas?

What gives a child the key to the gates of the kingdom, while Grumpy Old Posters are still looking for it?

What can we do to condition our attitudes a little better, along these lines? I just got the idea that I’m going to go to “The Clubhouse” forum and play one of the games. OK, maybe not St. Teresa stuff, but it’s a start. What else can we do?

Alan

 

[InJesusItrust]

I think that it means we have to obey the authority God has set before us. Unless we can cling to the Church and accept its teachings we can fall from grace.

My interpretation.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I think that it means we have to obey the authority God has set before us. Unless we can cling to the Church and accept its teachings we can fall from grace.

My interpretation.

The child obeys authority, and clings to authority and accepts its wisdom? So you’re saying that’s what a child is like, which makes it a good model for our relationship with the Church?

Thank you so much for your post! :tiphat:

---

Well, funny thing happened. I went to the “clubhouse” and played one word association game and thought, “there, I’ve done it.” But then my wife came in and I was telling her about this thread and … well … ended up we were in the clubhouse together, and I was looking at a thread with movie quotes. So I watched some famous movie quotes on YouTube that I’ve always heard quoted but I’d never the movies they came from.

Anyway it looked like Julie was getting weary of pithy lines, so the next time I saw animated picture and clicked on it, it was Donald Duck. And never before have I listened to the lyrics, but I was astounded and so I looked them up and share them with you.
Donald Duck theme song:

Who’s got the sweetest disposition?
One guess, that’s who?
Who’d never, ever start an argument?
Who never shows a bit of temperament?
Who’s never wrong but always right?
Who’d never dream of starting a fight?
Who gets stuck with all the bad luck?
No one - but Donald Duck!

Maybe if I could be more like Donald Duck, that might get me closer to the kingdom, eh?

Alan

 

[OneSheep]

I think one aspect is that a child looks at the world with eyes of wonder, curiosity, and openness. The child finds joy in small things.

 

[wmw]

The verse about being a sheep among wolves, staying shrewd as a snake and harmless as a dove is much more descriptive and gives understanding in how we are to be harmless just as the children, but still ready for a fallen world.

An excerpt from: dailyexegesis.blogspot.com/2009/10/be-wise-as-serpents-and-innocent-as.html

‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.’

We know from yesterday’s passage that Jesus has instructed his apostles to give their peace in wherever they go; if their peace is received, it will stay upon those they encounter. If it is refused, it will come back to the apostles. Here, we are given a more clear picture or image of what exactly is taking place: they are being sent out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Bringing the kingdom into the world is bringing a reality into the world that is different in its rules and its nature than “the world’s” normal ways of interacting and operating. Power is distributed freely to the apostles, and they are expected to freely give, “not as the world gives.” So they must remember to take care of themselves, and to operate a certain way: wary of persecution, and at the same time doing nothing to provoke it.

A previous Scripture Forum on the verse:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=506805

 

[tuscany]

**Hi Alan,

To me, I think it’s trust and simplicity.

My Uncle (God Bless his soul), was about the most intelligent man I knew. But his whole life, he struggled with whether if the Catholic Church was the one true church.

He read and studied philosophy, the writings of the greatest minds in history, and always he questioned.

My whole life, I always wondered at why my Uncle couldn’t just believe and be done with his struggle. I think it kind of reminded me of Thomas needing proof before he believed, rather just just believing Jesus.

I think my Uncle’s brain kept getting in his way, that faith means you just believe. I’ve met a LOT of people over my life, who have the same problem as my Uncle. They struggle so with their spiritual life because they over think/analyze something that doesn’t require the thought process, it requires you to just love/trust.

A very small child looks at their father (for an example), and sees a huge giant being who takes care of him. The very small child doesn’t have to ask if he will be taken care of that day, he just trusts and loves his father that his needs will be met. A very small child will try hard to please, and do what is asked without analyzing every word to death. To that very small child, his parents are his whole world, and they can do anything, like Superman. The parents will have a few rules (like commandments) to keep this small child safe. Not because they are mean, but because of how much they truly love this child and know their life will be easier if they will follow thses rules.

To me, my faith is very easy. I just try my best to do what God wishes because He asks me to, and I love Him. I don’t need to have 3,530 pieces of writings and thoughts to go to Mass weekly, I just go because God asks me to. I don’t need “proof” of anything, I just have faith and trust Jesus’ words. I do my best to keep His Commandments out of love.

I think if I were God, I would be very happy and pleased with those that just do what I ask out of love for me. They don’t need proof for everything before they do it, it’s not a fight every time I ask something, or if something doesn’t go the way they want, they won’t “like” me anymore.

I think God is very happy with those that have stubborn faith and love for Him, no matter what happens… like Job. Job didn’t think it all through, weigh the pros and cons, analyze it all, and need proof, he just kept trusting and believing. I think, we just need to keep it simple.**

 

[animalis]

So why not explore and share our ideas about what it means to be “like a child?”

This aspect of catholicism is particularly dearest to me. S. Louis de Montfort says, “How highly then do we glorify God when to please him we submit ourselves to Mary, taking Jesus as our sole model!” (True Devotion to Mary, 18) This statement by the saint indicates that our spiritual childhood involves us all who assent into the holy family. When the individual in the church preservering prays to Mary, she takes the lead, and Jesus is given to us from her complete knowledge of Him, and we become sancitified by the spouse of Mary, the Holy Spirit, made pleasing to the Father by conforming to his Son, only as a child. For no one can enter heaven by pride but only by humility. This is the order of grace in which Mary said, “Be it done to me according to thy word.” The wills were conformed and parenthood will become understood in her, and she shares with us the child by grace, inasmuch as we coorespond with the sharing we become grace, peace and thereby grace actualizes this by our humility to be simple and poor like children, utterly dependent on the Father in heaven.

Thank you for bringing this topic to us.

 

[Julia_Mae]

**Hi Alan,

To me, I think it’s trust and simplicity…

A very small child looks at their father (for an example), and sees a huge giant being who takes care of him. The very small child doesn’t have to ask if he will be taken care of that day, he just trusts and loves his father that his needs will be met. A very small child will try hard to please, and do what is asked without analyzing every word to death. To that very small child, his parents are his whole world, and they can do anything, like Superman. The parents will have a few rules (like commandments) to keep this small child safe. Not because they are mean, but because of how much they truly love this child and know their life will be easier if they will follow thses rules.

To me, my faith is very easy. I just try my best to do what God wishes because He asks me to, and I love Him. I don’t need to have 3,530 pieces of writings and thoughts to go to Mass weekly, I just go because God asks me to. I don’t need “proof” of anything, I just have faith and trust Jesus’ words. I do my best to keep His Commandments out of love.

I think if I were God, I would be very happy and pleased with those that just do what I ask out of love for me. …**

Wow, this is a great post.

I hate being an “Uncle.”

 

[knotanes]

Like others, I would have to agree, the passage seems to reference: trust, simplicity, innocence, and a sense of wonder.

There’s a big difference between being childish and being childlike–in my understanding of the two terms and their definitions.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Thank you all for your excellent posts! :tiphat:

I looked around YouTube for happy baby videos, and came across this one:

Baby Laughing Hysterically at Ripping Paper (Original)

It occurred to me the grown-up wouldn’t think it was so funny if it were an “important” sheet of paper. Chances are the baby would still laugh even if there were “very important things” written upon that paper – like Ben Franklin’s photo, maybe?

Alan

 

[Waiting]

I think one aspect is that a child looks at the world with eyes of wonder, curiosity, and openness. The child finds joy in small things.

I think you have captured the essence of what Jesus meant. The innocence of a child brings a tender look to the eyes of most people. They aren’t looking for double meanings. They accept what is offered at face value. Everything is good. When they find out otherwise, then the innocence begins to disappear, and they have lost some of their childhood. The disillusionment is heartbreaking.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I think you have captured the essence of what Jesus meant. The innocence of a child brings a tender look to the eyes of most people. They aren’t looking for double meanings. They accept what is offered at face value. Everything is good. When they find out otherwise, then the innocence begins to disappear, and they have lost some of their childhood. The disillusionment is heartbreaking.

I believe it is up to us to seek to reverse this disillusionment.

I’ve had several friends who have had alzheimer’s, and I’ve concluded – and the survivors agree – that they become like children again, and it is very merciful on the patient.

Of course it’s difficult for the family to deal with, because they are losing the roles they had, their relationships they had built with that person. So to the survivors it’s difficult.

What I think Jesus challenges us to do, is to reverse the ill-effects of losing innocence, without losing the knowledge that comes with it. Then we would have true wisdom.

Alan