And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
~ Mark 10:13-16 ~
We understand the basic historical truth of this story. During Jesus ministry some 2000 years ago mothers were bringing their children to Jesus so that he might touch them and bless them. His disciples thought Jesus was too busy and too important to be bothered by children, children being a nuisance and occupying a low social station in the Romanized Ancient Near East and everyone had come from all over to hear Jesus teach. Jesus did care about the children though and used it as a teaching opportunity for everyone who had gathered that they needed to accept his teachings about The Kingdom just as these eager little ankle biters did, running to Jesus, crawling on him, reaching up and saying "pick me up! pick me up!", probably also pulling on his beard and telling stories about pet rocks or imaginary critters.
At first glance its a sentimental story. Jesus loves the little children and takes time for them in an era when a man of his social status and fame would have been off limits. This shows us God's heart. This shows us Jesus' character. This elevates the importance of children and human life. It is edifying, refreshing, comforting, this is our God, he takes time and has patience with little children, little children who are physically young and little children who may be physically older but are spiritually young. Jesus takes time for the least of these, Jesus will take time for you, and He will be happy to do so.
The teaching comes with a warning though. Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. What does this mean? I have some ideas but I suspect the answer may be dependent on the unique position of the reader and the work that God has in mind. The answers may vary and be nuanced by person. Pray that the Lord would reveal this to you and spend some time reading and contemplating the passage, praying and reflecting.
To accept the Kingdom of God as a child, I believe, involves taking God at His word as a young child takes the word of his father, with trust. Little children trust the word of their parents. They may not always obey but they believe it is true unless they have reason not to. Little children ask honest questions. Little children seek to please their parents, at least until they need a nap or the parent says they are not allowed to have more candy. Little children are open, tender, moldable, completely dependent upon their parents. As the Holy Bible says:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
~ Proverbs 1:7 ~
... present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
~ Romans 12:1-2 ~
The specifics of how each of this lives this out is part of the journey of faith, part of the nuance that varies from person to person according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
It occurred to me, as I was praying over this passage that there is another truth within. I think most of us take this passage to be speaking about conversion, how Jesus is telling us that if we are to become Christians we must have the faith of a child or we will not be saved. It seems to me though that the Kingdom of God is continually presented to us both before conversion and after conversion. As time marches onward and God's plans are continually in motion and continually unfolding we are continually presented with the opportunity to participate in The Kingdom. There are seasons, when God works powerfully and self evidently, when miracles and healing and revival sweep through an area, God's holy fire fills his people with light and life and energy and purpose, and The Kingdom is presented with power and glory! There are seasons when God will, by The Holy Spirit, specifically direct his people to accomplish His plans within the world by hidden means. God may be specifically positioning people within human society to do work for The Kingdom, directing us to go here, not there, to do this, not that, to talk to this person, to make that phone call, to apply for this job, not that job, etc. Even if it is not a season for direct instruction we are continually presented with the Kingdom of God by the simple virtue of our frail humanity, we rely upon God, He provides for us day by day, and we are invited every day anew to acknowledge and live according to his steadfast providence. We are also presented and re-presented with the teachings of Christ and the Word of God as we read the Holy Bible, pray, and when the Holy Spirit speaks through sermons and prophecies, even when we think we have learned a lesson we are forgetful creatures and even if we are not forgetful we do not have God's perspective, we do not know all things in all times or the motivations of our own hearts or the hearts of others, and so The Word of God, the Kingdom of God, is continually presented to us and we are invited to learn from it anew every day.
The Kingdom of God is multifaceted, all encompassing, and everlasting, but our perspective, our sight, is easily distracted, often impaired, never perfect. May all of us continually receive the Kingdom like little children as Christ continually presents it to us through His Holy Word, in prayer, through the body of believers, in our hearts, and every other method it is presented until the time that all things are reconciled to Christ and then ever onward, amen.
