Simplicity of believing

Matthew 18:1-4 (ESV) At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus disciples must have been feeling pretty good about themselves to ask Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I can't imagine what kind of an answer they were expecting. Rather than feed their ego, Jesus gives them a dose of reality. Jesus calls a child over to answer their question. He does not say that child is the greatest or that being like the child makes you the greatest in the kingdom. He says that unless you become like a child, you will never even get into the kingdom of God. Thats crazy to think about this being said to his closest disciples who had already given up everything to follow Jesus. Maybe it's not about the lives they gave up. They were obviously still holding on to some internal agendas.

What is the requirement then to enter the kingdom. The answer is something we need to continue to discover and know relationally for ourselves. I'm still learning and growing in this every day, but I think the simplicity of the gospel is Believing. This word believing is Learning and Living in a nutshell. It means you are presented with the truth, and you act on that truth by believing it and receiving it. When we say Yes to a truth, you are applying truth to you live stepping forward.

As adults, it takes us a lot longer to really believe. It's harder for us to get past our own interpretations and expectations, our plans and desired outcomes, our desire to do kingdom work for the Lord and be the greatest. A child simply believes and runs to Jesus.

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