As a Little Child?

In my devotions I’m reading through “Faith and Life”, a collection of devotional talks for students collected from the writings of B. B. Warfield, the great theologian of Old Princeton in the 19^th Century. In an entry called “Childlikeness”, Warfield gives his thoughts on Jesus’ words in Mark 10:15

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

He begins by offering ideas about what Jesus may mean by inferring that those who are to receive the Kingdom must be like a little child.

• Does Jesus mean that only children can enter the Kingdom? Clearly no – Jesus is preaching to the crowds, not to the children.
• Does Jesus mean that only those who are innocent like children may enter the Kingdom? No again – ‘there is nothing clearer than that Jesus’ mission was specifically to those who were not innocent’.
• Does Jesus mean that only those who are humble like little children can enter the Kingdom? No again – ‘If (these children) were like other children of their age, they were probably, as far as they showed moral characteristics at all, little egotists’.

He then gives what he thinks Jesus is getting at:

“Trust, simple, utter trust, that is the pathway to the Kingdom… What our Lord would seem to say then…is that the Kingdom of Heaven is made up of those who are helplessly dependent on the King of the Heavens. And when He adds that only those who “receive” the Kingdom like a child can enter into it, He seems to mean that the children of the Kingdom come into it like children of the world come into the world – naked and stripped of everything, infants who are to be done for, who can not do for themselves.” (76; 78)

Are you sensing that you ‘can not do for yourself’? Congratulations, you have been ‘done for’. The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.