Belonging to God's Kingdom

S - "Some people brought their little children for Jesus to bless. But when his followers saw them doing this, they told the people to stop bothering him. So Jesus called the children over to him and said, “Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them. People who are like these children belong to God's kingdom. You will never get into God's kingdom unless you enter it like a child!” Luke 18:15-17 TS

O - The real Jesus is the most childlike human being who's ever lived and he insists his followers live the same way. Childlikeness is not merely an entrance requirement, it's required to remain, to " belong to God's Kingdom."  All follow, enter and belong/remain the same way; intentional childlikeness. Religion is willing to mention childlikeness as the way "into obtaining eternal life" but then spends its energies, teachings and influence trying to convince its adherents to grow up; to accept the world's ideas of responsible adult behaviors, attitudes and conclusions with respect to everything else. To belong to the "kingdom" religion promotes as God's ultimately requires an abandonment of childlikeness. It's dismissed as childish, foolish, unwise and wasteful. Religion wants us always wise as serpents but never really harmless as doves, to use another phrase of Jesus. As the religious leaders of Jesus' day prove, if you're wise as a serpent but not harmless like a dove you just end up being snakes.

A -  Children rely on another for protection, direction and provision … realities the world teaches are to come from your adult self. Jesus says they will come from his Father for all who will choose to be little and believe him about earth and not just about heaven (Matthew 6:25-33; John 3:11-12). I will choose to lose, to be little, to believe Jesus about heaven and earth. I will accept the coaching given in the Scriptures: “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 ESV

P - Lord Jesus,

I accept the simple clarity of your life and words. I admit simple is not always easy. I will choose intentional childlikeness unto the belonging where heaven touches earth, everything is possible and your amazing life is coming into and out of me.

Welcoming you and your blessings for the childlike,

Steve