I’m not sure if there are statistics out concerning a child’s involvement encouraging whole families coming to faith in Christ, but it’s very much a reality!  I visit families that share this story over and over again, that their child’s faith was so apparent, that they themselves wanted to investigate what was happening.  We can learn a lot from the simple faith of a child.  Jesus uses a parable as he often does and then relates it in the next passage of verses to the faith of a child.  I’m going to share a little scripture with you this morning, but may these children and what God has done, bless you and minister to you!  Their approach to God is pure and something that we should glean!   

J

Children seek a relationship, not self-righteousness vv.9-12

Children identify with a friend, not a foe with conditions.

Romans 5:8 “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  We’ve done nothing to earn God’s favor!  He loves us!  He wants a relationship with us!

J 

Children selflessly recognize, not self-rationalize vv.13-14

Children do not try to justify who they are, they just simply realize.  It’s not until we become slaves to the cares of this world that we care how people perceive us.  A child is free.  In fact they have to be taught pride, granted it doesn’t take them long to learn it.

What stands in the way of Christian’s changing the world?  Pride!  “I can’t say this, I can’t help them, I can’t go there h!  They’ll think different of me!”  Christ is asking us to simply realize through humility that we deserve death, but He’s given us eternal life through faith in Christ and that gift must be continually passed on to others!

Ephesians 2:4 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved.”

J

Children simply react, not slowly reason vv.15-17

We are to be obedient to God’s call and not reason with Him based on the things of this world!

Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ.”