“People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ ” — Mark 10:13-15

Picture the scene: Jesus and His rag-tag band of followers were in Judea, and crowds of people were again descending upon them. Jesus, as was His way, didn’t hurry through the people but would stop to teach them. Even when the Pharisees tried to test Him. Jesus’ reputation as a great rabbi, teacher, and healer preceded Him. Some believed in Him as the Messiah He was. Some may have been skeptical but willing hear what He had to say. Others were curious. Imagine you are a parent of small children, and this rabbi of Israel was passing through your village. Would you forego an opportunity to have this rabbi, the Messiah, to bless your child? What did they have to lose?

Yet, when they approached Jesus, or attempted to, His disciples rebuked these people. Children in ancient cultures and societies were not seen as significant. This account of people bringing their children to Jesus can be read in all three of the synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Nowhere within any of them is it made clear why the disciples were calling out people and discouraging them from bringing the children to Jesus. Most likely, it was because they deemed it not important enough to their mission to be bothered by the insignificant. After following Jesus, one would think they would have started to internalize the message that Jesus clearly was not following the expectations or way of the world. He came to turn their culture on its head. Perhaps His disciples were not the quickest of learners.

Rather than carry on while His disciples turned away the children, Jesus called them out and said let the little children come to Him. That alone is a message that speaks. Every single individual, from the youngest of the young to the oldest of the old, is significant enough to Jesus for Him to offer His time and attention. Jesus took the little ones into His arms and used the children as an object lesson: you must have childlike faith to enter the kingdom of God.

What is childlike faith? We make things so complicated as adults, don’t we? Jesus demonstrated to me exactly what childlike faith was. I was at the park, walking my dogs, surrounded by lush green fields, and spring temperatures in the air. As I looked to my left, I was captured by a scene. It was a bit of a windy day, and there was this little boy, with his daddy, flying a kite. Now they must have had a plan because the dad was standing on one side of the field holding onto the kite. And the little boy was running as fast as he could with the spool in his hands. That kite took flight, and the adorable little boy with the glasses, was delighted. His father was delighted. Pure, unadulterated joy. I was so struck I almost stopped moving. It was as though God wanted me to see, to bear witness in a tangible way of what it meant to trust Him.

I couldn’t shake the image from my brain. Nor did I really want to. I just kept thinking about that little boy. I thought about how he ran with abandon and delight, fulling trusting that his dad had his back and would do what he said, release the kite when it was time. My mind kept going and thinking about that little boy and his father. That little boy most likely wasn’t worrying about what would come next or if his father would just leave him to his own devices to meet his needs. Children raised in secure and safe environments don’t worry about what’s next. Most likely, the little boy and his dad went home to a nice supper, sharing great stories of their adventure at the park.

Children naturally entrust themselves to the care of their parents. No, they may not always like what they’re told to do or having to go places they don’t want. But, they play with abandon during the day. They run wild and free. They know their parents’ job is to take care of them–to meet their needs. To get them where they need to go. To put a roof over their head, food on the table, a bed to sleep in at night. Security. Dependency. They don’t fall asleep at night wondering if they will be okay tomorrow or how they will face the day. They have faith in their parents’ provision. The beauty and freedom of childhood. (Not every child has that experience due to sin and abuse in the world.) But God gave me this vision of this situation to grasp the concept of what it means to trust Him with childlike faith.

Life is hard a lot of the time. But do we make it harder on ourselves by failing to trust in God and His perfect parenthood and provision? What does it look like to run with wild abandon in His love, like the little boy at the park? What prevents us from fully trusting in God and His provision? God delights in His children. We have removed so much joy and laughter from our lives by trying to continually take back the reins from God because we think we need to be in control because we know better. Wouldn’t we take so much pressure off ourselves if we just realized and accepted that it is not up to us to keep our worlds going around? Yet we forget. We forget that our God is the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. He holds the whole world, as well as each of our own little unique individual worlds, in His very loving, very capable, hands.

God is a loving Father. When we hurt, He hurts. And many cynics would step in here and say that if God were a loving Father, then He never would have allowed us to hurt or be harmed. Sin is real. Bad things happen. This world is broken and full of hurting people. If there is one thing we know, it is that hurt people hurt people. Jesus never once said that to follow Him would lead to a life of ease and blessing and comfort. He actually said this: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus promises that the ultimate victory is won and promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Back to those little children being brought to Jesus. Sweaty brows. Dusty feet. Sitting on Jesus’ lap. These children were full of both innocence and dependency. Just how we need to come to Jesus, and remain in Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we trust Him with our eternal souls and salvation. Why do we complicate it so much and fail to trust Him day after day with our temporary lives here on earth? Today, make it a point to approach Jesus with the abandon and delight of a child running wild and free outside flying the kite, chasing the butterfly, smelling the flowers. And close your eyes in peaceful sleep tonight, knowing that the God of the universe is God your Father. He has you!