Mark 10:10-16: a reflection

When people bring little children to Jesus and the disciples try to turn them away, Jesus is indignant, and welcomes the children, saying the kingdom of God belongs to such as these, and must be received like a child. Allow the little children to come to me, Jesus says; don't forbid them, for God's Kingdom belongs to such as these. Whoever will not receive God's Kingdom like a little child will in no way enter it. The disciples had thought the children a distraction, not worth the Master's time; but Jesus welcomed them, took them in his arms, and blessed them. And he made them a pattern: the kingdom of God belongs to such as these, and must be received as a little child receives, with trust, dependence, and humble openness. This shows that the kingdom of God is received like a little child, with trust and humble openness. Receive the kingdom of God like a little child, with trust and humble openness. Christ welcomes the little ones and makes them a pattern. Come to God with childlike trust and dependence, not self-sufficiency. The kingdom belongs to those who receive it as a child does.

Notice both Jesus' welcome of the children and what he says about them. The disciples tried to turn the children away, thinking them unimportant, a distraction from more serious matters. But Jesus was indignant at this, and welcomed the children warmly, taking them in his arms and blessing them. And he made them a pattern for entering the kingdom: God's kingdom belongs to such as these, and whoever will not receive it like a little child will not enter it. This is worth pondering. Jesus points to a little child as the pattern for how we are to receive the kingdom of God. A little child comes not with self-sufficiency, achievement, or standing to claim, but with simple trust, dependence, and humble openness, ready to receive, to be helped, to be held. And this is how the kingdom of God is received: not by those who come in their own strength, importance, or merit, claiming a place, but by those who come as little children, humbly, trustingly, dependently, simply receiving what God gives. To receive the kingdom like a child is to lay aside our self-sufficiency and pretensions, and come with childlike trust and dependence on God. We do well to come to God, and receive his kingdom, like a little child, with trust, dependence, and humble openness, rather than in our own self-sufficiency. Receive the kingdom of God like a little child, with trust and humble openness. Lay aside self-sufficiency, and come to God with childlike dependence. Christ welcomes the little ones; do not come claiming your own importance. The kingdom belongs to those who receive it simply, as a child receives.

That is worth taking to heart, for the kingdom of God is received like a little child, with trust and humble openness, and we do well to come so, as Jesus welcomed the children and made them a pattern. We can come to God in our own self-sufficiency and importance; but Jesus said the kingdom belongs to those who receive it like a little child. Come as a child. Do not come to God claiming your own strength, importance, or merit; receive his kingdom like a little child, with trust, dependence, and humble openness. Receive the kingdom of God like a little child, with trust, dependence, and humble openness rather than in your own self-sufficiency, as when people brought little children to Jesus and the disciples tried to turn them away, Jesus was indignant and welcomed the children, saying the kingdom of God belongs to such as these and must be received like a child, and whoever will not receive it like a little child will in no way enter it; for the disciples had thought the children a distraction not worth the Master's time, but Jesus welcomed them, took them in his arms, and blessed them, and made them a pattern, that the kingdom belongs to such as these and must be received as a little child receives, with trust, dependence, and humble openness, which is worth pondering, since a little child comes not with self-sufficiency, achievement, or standing to claim but with simple trust and humble openness, ready to receive and be held, and this is how the kingdom of God is received, not by those who come in their own strength or merit claiming a place but by those who come as little children, humbly and trustingly receiving what God gives, so that to receive the kingdom like a child is to lay aside our self-sufficiency and pretensions and come with childlike trust and dependence on God, and we do well to come to God and receive his kingdom like a little child.