Be Like a Child

This week during my studies, I focused a lot on the symbolism of the stories that I was reading. In the portions of the 4 Gospels that I studied, we see the stories of how Christ fed the multitudes, walked on water, and teaching of faith and forgiveness. Focusing on the symbolism of some of the stories was one of the study tactics that helped me to internalize the things I was reading.

Of all the stories, the one that stood out to me the most was when Christ blessed the children. This specific story is found in Mark 10:14-16 and it is here where we find Christ expressing the need to be like a child. He says that "whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

Now upon reading this initially, we may be thinking, why does Christ tell us to be like a child? Is He saying that to get into Heaven we need to throw tantrums and just go and play all day? No, not at all. While we may be focused on the attributes of little children that are most apparent to us, like the tantrums and refusing to try new foods, Christ sees the qualities within them that make them the purest and teachable students. Think of it like this, when we are doing something and someone corrects us we may get defensive or try to explain why we did it the way that we did. Then only after some discussion back and forth are we able to learn the new way of doing things and understand why it's supposed to be done that way. Now compare this to a child. After you tell the child to do it a different way they usually listen. Sure they may complain a little but that's one thing that is so amazing about children. They are so willing to be taught.

It's this humble and meek nature that Christ wants us to replicate. He wants us to be teachable and humble enough to accept correction so that He can help us become the best version of ourselves that we can become. This is the only way that we can become perfected and make it back to our Father in Heaven. I invite you all to allow Christ to lead you in your life! Relearn things and challenge the way things are done, asking "How would Christ do this?" I know that as we do this we take a step closer to our Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.