GROW DOWN
By: Micaiah Wesler
Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 18:2-3 NKJV)
Take heed that you do not despise on of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10 NKJV)
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 19:13-14 NKJV)
The disciples had a real problem listening to Jesus at times. He had just told them to be more like children or else they couldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven. He had literally JUST told them not to despise the children. Then the next thing you know the disciples were rebuking the children for wanting to go to Jesus and get prayer. One thing you always hear from people when you are younger is, “Grow up.”
When a person acts childish, that’s usually the first thing we want to tell them. However, what Jesus was saying to His disciples is that they needed to “grow down.” They lost what it was like to be an innocent child at the feet of Jesus. They had lost what it meant to be bold as a child without any inhibitions or fear of punishment for running to God. They had lost what it meant to be full of faith and wonder with Jesus. Maybe they were too caught up in doing “ministry” or maybe they were thinking that the children weren’t as important. Either way Jesus told them that the answer was to learn to be children again. If you find yourself being too serious in your relationship with God, bogged down by shame or guilt, buried in work or even in ministry, maybe it’s time to remember what it’s like to have fun as a child at Jesus’ feet. Maybe it’s time to “grow down.”
Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 18:2-3 NKJV)
Take heed that you do not despise on of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10 NKJV)
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 19:13-14 NKJV)
The disciples had a real problem listening to Jesus at times. He had just told them to be more like children or else they couldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven. He had literally JUST told them not to despise the children. Then the next thing you know the disciples were rebuking the children for wanting to go to Jesus and get prayer. One thing you always hear from people when you are younger is, “Grow up.”
When a person acts childish, that’s usually the first thing we want to tell them. However, what Jesus was saying to His disciples is that they needed to “grow down.” They lost what it was like to be an innocent child at the feet of Jesus. They had lost what it meant to be bold as a child without any inhibitions or fear of punishment for running to God. They had lost what it meant to be full of faith and wonder with Jesus. Maybe they were too caught up in doing “ministry” or maybe they were thinking that the children weren’t as important. Either way Jesus told them that the answer was to learn to be children again. If you find yourself being too serious in your relationship with God, bogged down by shame or guilt, buried in work or even in ministry, maybe it’s time to remember what it’s like to have fun as a child at Jesus’ feet. Maybe it’s time to “grow down.”