"Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 'Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgement than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgement than for you'" (Matt. 11:20-24).  The problem with the population of those cities is that they had no faith. They saw, yet they did not believe; and "without faith it is impossible to please God."

One of the great things about children is that they believe and believe in their grown-ups. I am told that my first grade teacher got a real charge out of my emphatic conviction that "My grandfather can do anything" (She had actually graduated from high school with him). As the years went by, I'm not sure that belief ever changed much. He is still the greatest man I've ever known. And if Grampy said it, I believed it!  When I was really young I noticed his toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. It was one of those toothbrushes that has the brush on one end and a rubber "pick" on the other end.  I was curious and asked him what that "rubber thing" was.  He told me, "That's what I use to clean between my toes." I was disgusted, but I believed him until I was in high school.  When Joey was about four, we had a refrigerator that made some crazy noises.  It would kind of "gurgle" and "growl" and "pop" while it was doing its refrigerator thing.  One day Joey asked me, a little fearfully, what that noise was. Being the kind and sensitive parent that I am, I told him it was "the food trying to get out."  He wouldn't go back in the kitchen for weeks. Well, my point is, children trust what their grown-ups say, and that is what Jesus wants from us. "I praise You, Father, for You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure" (Matt. 11:25). 

Jesus seemed to take great joy in the company of children. "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven'" (Matt. 18:2); "He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in His arms He said to them, 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me'" (Mark 9:36-37); "People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them" (Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17). Jesus never considered Himself too busy or too important to take time for little children; neither should we.

One of the great paradoxes of the Word is that the weakest are actually the strongest, and the most simple are the most wise. "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of the age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe . . . For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many of you were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him" (I Cor. 1:20-29).  We have no platform to stand before Him to boast. In His Mighty Presence we can only come as children, small, weak, often sorrowful and disobedient, but always as His beloved children.

My mother used to refer to me as "Peter Pan" because I never wanted to grow up. At 51, I still prefer to remain as much a child as is possible in my adult world--to shout, to dance, to cry, and to believe without doubt everything my Grown-up God has to say.

Lord Jesus, please keep me young--not childish, but child-like. Help me never to lose my awe at a storm or a rainbow, or a sunset, or a mountain, or the ocean, or the veins of a leaf. Help me to walk in faith clinging to Your Great Big Nail-scarred Hand, and to listen obediently to Your Voice. Amen