What the Little Children Know

Matt. 11:25-26

“At that time, Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”

Of course, this verse popped out to me because it mentions children. With my degrees in elementary education, I am always on the look out for ways to teach children.  But this verse is more about what we can learn from them instead.

It isn't really about children, but of those with a child-like heart. Still we must look at children to understand Jesus's words. Children at a very young age will believe whatever you tell them, because they know no better. They do not have worldly ideas built up in their hearts. All they have is trust.

I feel that that being child-like is different from childish, however.  A childish adult can be gullible (among other things, but let's just focus on this one).  The child-like heart of a grown person examines the choices available and chooses the one that makes the most sense.  Children like simplicity, and so does a child-like heart.

God has made His plan simple.  We sinned.  Jesus redeemed.  We believe. God accepts.


“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

He says it, we believe it.  No questions asked.

But nothing is ever simple, is it?  At least, we make that so. As we grow, we question. Um, do you know any older children like that?  Maybe, like me, you have given birth to a few who apparently think they have taken the fast track to wisdom and understanding.  At a certain point, many truly believe they have surpassed the knowledge of their decrepit old parents whose minds are withering like a worm on the sidewalk. Why, Mom?  Why?  Why do I have to eat that/clean that/wash there?  Sometimes I wonder if they really want an answer or if their goal is to drive me crazy.


Childish adults are similar.  Why does God choose to love me?  Why do I have to obey?  Why would He die for me?

Why do people do this? (Why?  Why?) Why can't we just let it be simple? At some point, we begin to see that we are smarter than we once were. It seems that this knowledge apex is reached in adolescence.  It is like our life is in an enormous glass.  The liquid filling the glass is knowledge.  We are born at the bottom of the glass and begin filling it with the things we know.  And we begin swimming toward the top.  Somewhere as a teen or young adult, we have reached the top of the liquid.  We have conquered it all, and now, of course, being at the top of all our amassed knowledge, we know it all. Turn off the tap, looking below us, it is full. There isn't room for anything more. We begin to close off other ideas because we have evaluated the source as less than ourselves. There is no room for this thinking in the kingdom of heaven.

But something interesting happens, if we allow it.  From the crest of our pool of knowledge, we look up and see there is much more ROOM for more.  Our maturity must cause us to filter what comes in.  Only what is pure can fill our glass.  And no looking around at all the other glasses.  God knows what is best, and will fill us with the simple and the pure.  As His children, we just need to allow it to come and refresh us.

We can't go back to being a child again.  Now, we know too much.  But we can still choose what is best.  We can allow God to teach and fill us.  We can take what He gives us without question.  Simple as that.

The end of this verse is also very cool.  It is God's good pleasure to do this for us.  Let's accept it gratefully.