Childlike Faith
Scripture Reading — Mark 10:13-27
God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
A childlike faith is vital for living in the kingdom of God. The Pharisees had complicated their faith with elaborate answers to simple questions. The rich young man was trying to bargain with God in order to hoard his wealth. In this world of scheming and rationalizing, children approached Jesus with simple faith.
If God’s kingdom were about religion and rules, Jesus would have told the children to become like the Pharisees. Instead, the Pharisees are told to become like the children because the kingdom of God centers on a relationship.
Faith is not primarily intellectual. It is a childlike act of trusting in Jesus. The Christian faith is not contained in volumes of theology or intricate religious rules. It is just the simple reality that “Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong; they are weak but he is strong.”
It really is that simple. The more we complicate our faith, the greater the danger that we will become legalistic like the Pharisees. The greater our wealth and position, the greater the danger that we will make idols of these things instead of following Jesus. There is no other way to live and thrive in God’s kingdom than with a childlike faith in Jesus.
What is your faith like?
Thank you, Father, for letting us be your children, for ac-cepting us when we come to you. Help us to live with a childlike trust in Jesus every day. Amen.
About the author — Rob Jansons
Rob Jansons is the pastor of New Hope Fellowship in Monroe, Washington, where he has served for almost twenty years. He and his wife, Sue, have been married since 1989 and have three daughters. Rob spends time each year in Calcutta, India, working with a Christian ministry to children living in slums. He enjoys hiking in the Pacific Northwest, camping with his family, reading, writing, and being a pastor.
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