January 2006

Milk and Cookies with Paul

The Devotional Life of Children
Dawn Gentry

"Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."  (Mt 18:3)

Why do you suppose Jesus tells us we need to become more like children in how we approach God?

Children are innately trusting. When a baby cries and the parent responds to his need, the baby learns that the adult in his life can be trusted. When a preschooler falls down, he trusts that his parent will be there to apply band-aids and kisses. I've never known a child to frantically approach his parents, wondering if he was going to be fed, or worrying about where the next paycheck will come from. He assumes you are going to provide all his needs, and trusts fully that you will do so.

Much of this trust, I believe, comes from a child's full acceptance that he is known and loved by the parent. Because the child knows that you care about him, he knows that you will care for him. The confidence in the provider is based on a loving relationship with the provider as father.

Young children know that they are unable to provide for themselves, and trust that “someone bigger” will take care of them. In a healthy parent/child relationship, the child is fully devoted to the parents, understanding that their ability to survive and thrive depends completely on the provision of the parents. Their great capacity for trust allows them to depend on God in a broader sense than most adults… consequently, they have an ability to be more fully devoted to Him, recognizing their complete dependence. They believe their prayers will be answered, so they pray. They are not afraid to ask for anything (even what may seem insignificant to an adult) because they know that their heavenly father hears and answers them.

In the same way, God knows us and loves us in a way that we may only comprehend when we have children ourselves. In Psalm 139 we read “you have searched me and you know me… you perceive my thoughts from afar… you are familiar with all my ways…” Can't we trust Him enough to be fully devoted to Him? We can learn a lot from our children if our eyes and hearts are open.

Dawn Gentry is a member of the advisory board for the Coffee with Paul Program and is Children's Ministry Director at the Post Road Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN.