I can confidently say that everyone who truly follows Jesus does and will struggle with it on a daily, hourly, per minute and per second basis. How can I be so sure? Because Jesus clearly tells us this would happen.
In the verse above, Jesus is demanding that we become like little children because he wants to show us that we are utterly helpless in our relationship to the Kingdom. The Kingdom is something God gives, and man receives! Only a person who knows he/she is small and helpless will be ‘able’ to enter the Kingdom. This goes against all our other understandings! But the point is not being helpless but realising that we must always receive! This is a whole different muscle that we have never exercised before. We need to unlearn trying to achieve in order to receive. No wonder this is a struggle.
The most difficult pill to swallow is that Jesus is not saying this is just a good way to find the meaning of life, but this is the ONLY way we can ever make sense of what is true, what is the way and what is life. What makes it harder is that the moment you finish reading this, you will be tempted once again to live a life of ‘doing to get’ rather than being aware of your helplessness to therefore receive. But if we could just find a way to keep this at the forefront of our minds, we would continually be receiving the Kingdom! Is there a way?
Yes, there is!
It’s so interesting that Jesus uses the picture of children. Just to walk with my daughter around the block of our neighbourhood is quite an experience. From getting the shoes on, to shielding her from cars, to stopping for every leaf and to admiring every tree – it takes a lot of effort. But once I’m out on the path I begin to notice her expression of joy, her passion and spontaneous awe for life and I strangely notice how beautiful this moment is and become aware that this is the meaning of life – I begin to receive. But to receive I needed to give something. I gave my time, my emotions and my selfish desires which didn’t create the moment but what I gave allowed me to receive what was already all around me. To receive, I need to keep my hands open, and I do this by giving. Giving can be time, money, emotions or my needs. I don’t give as the way to receive, but as I give, I keep myself aware/receiving his presence.
Consumerism is very different to Kingdom receiving but can sometimes seem to be the same. God does not want us to be consumers who just want to take, get and abuse. True life does not come from a thing we get, but in the Person who gives it. Never try think you can short circuit God’s plan by trying to just take and consume from God because the receiving is actually the person, not something. When we give ourselves, we stop making it about ourselves and all about Him.
I have noticed lately how often when people pray they say, ‘Lord, help us/me’. While this is not wrong, I feel we should rather be leaning towards, ‘Lord, empower me’. Why? Because ‘help’ gives me the idea that the Lord is just there to assist me when I feel I can’t do it, but if things are going well then I don’t need the Lord or his help. ‘Empower’ speaks more in receiving his power in every circumstance good and bad.
In 2 Cor 12 Paul says, ‘when I am weak, then I am strong’. What a joy! What the Lord wants is our acceptance that we need something more than ourselves.
Be weak in your ability and receive.
David Skevington