Being Curious & Open

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of

heaven?’ 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. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is

the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name

receives Me’” (Matthew 18:1-5).

Why would the little children come to Christ? It was recorded that Christ would place His hand on them and He would pray and the children would ask for help. When I see children, the first thing that comes to mind is their dependence on their parents. In any trouble, any moment, they desperately look for where their parents are. Our Lord calls us to live in humility, like children. We are made finite, that we may look at Him, who is infinite to trust in His omniscience. Yet, we can’t stand it. We look for ways to depend on ourselves, and declare ourselves to be unchangeable in our ways and sins. Children teach us that humility comes in admitting our weakness and coming to Our Savior for help. Although the Holy Spirit grants us so many ways to return to Him, so many gifts for working in His body, we have to remember that we are still dust. It’s easy for children to know their limits, to know where they fall short. When a child can’t reach something they ask for help, but when we're older, we find a ladder or a stool and refuse to ask for help first. This is a meek example to reflect when things are completely beyond our capability, to humbly ask for prayers and His help. Do I ever refuse His help? Let us have His vision and wisdom. To always be learnable, from anyone or at any time. Being teachable is foundational for our spiritual growth and character development. If I call myself a disciple and child of God, I, at any stage of my life, should be teachable. Wisdom from God’s perspective lies in knowing how to take advice in neither being defensive or condescending. Think about the next time someone gives you criticism, to not respond by being defensive but learning from those that may know “less” than we do. Someone who is teachable is also slow to speak and quick to hear. People say that there's a reason we have two ears and one mouth. A teachable spirit is the humble spirit, like a child, who listens twice more than they speak.

Another aspect of a child we can reflect on is their likeness to their parents. Whenever a baby is born, usually people often associate a child to look more like their mother or father. Can people say the same thing to me with Christ? A newcomer came to the Coptic church, and was looking at the icons of the saints and said, “They all look like Christ.” It's so mind blowing how He calls us to the same calling. To be righteous before Him, struggling to do good for Him, to be His saint. All the saints knew their place before the King; there is no one to hide behind, that as a little child, I came before You, asking for help. As St. Paul says in Ephesians, “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” Our Lord, being so loving, willed for us to be heirs of God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. The most beautiful thing is that God doesn’t look at us as we are adopted or foreign. Rather, He calls us His own children, asking us to be conformed to the image of His Son.

One of the most important points of this passage from St. Matthews gospel, is when Christ tells His disciples, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven if you are not like one of these children. By no means is our Lord suggesting us to be as little children but He urges us, to take them by example as how we should be towards Him in our life. We need to approach Him knowing who He is. Our Lord gave us every single thing in our life, let us be simple in our going to Him. That just as a child knows they can’t go anywhere without their parents, let us draw near to Him in the same manner. In living this, we live His light that it may illuminate the lives of others. In people seeing your simplicity, seeing that there's Someone you depend on who gives you everything, will captivate them since we're all called to be His children.

God is knocking in our hearts everyday, to open for Him, that He may grant us His peace, His providence, that through His uncontainable beauty, that I may freely give to others, knowing He will always provide as the true fountain of Living Water. I pray that everyday, we take the time in prayer before our Father boldly, thanking Him for knowing our stature, that we are nothing but a speck of dust, that He adored and lovingly took us into His embrace that He may be our Father, and us, His children.