James 24:7

If you want to learn a lot then preach and teach. I can't vouch for those who hear me as to how much they learn but I know I can be in the middle of a sermon or teaching and think: "Man, I can't believe how much I learn from me." 

No..I don't really think that but there is something to be said for learning by teaching. 

We dedicated children yesterday at North River and right in the middle of hearing myself teach I thought: "Wow!  I get this.  I really get this!"

I was talking about those instances in the gospels when Jesus uses a child to teach the adults a thing or two about kingdom life.  In one instance he teaches his disciples not to prevent children from coming to him and points to the child as the model of what adults must become if they would enter the kingdom of God.

In the other instance, he sets a child in their midst after hearing the disciples arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom.

Although the text doesn't say as much, I suspect the disciples were thinking about the kingdom of God in terms of kingdoms of this world and the kinds of skills and virtues one would need to rise to greatness in that kingdom. 

I imagine that one claimed to be decisive and that because of that he would be the greatest.  Another probably claimed to be courageous and because of that he would be the greatest.  Still another claimed to be wise and because of that he would be the greatest in the coming reign of God.

That's when Jesus took a kid and placed him before his disciples and said in effect, "Hey, you want to know what greatness in the kingdom looks like, then look at this kid.  You've got to change and become like him if you expect to become great in the kingdom."

Now over the years I've heard a lot of sentimental pap about this kid and what Jesus was saying.  Often people interpret Jesus' actions as speaking to the "innocence of children." 

Harumph!

Most of the people who say that don't have children.  It takes a long time for a kid to grow out of his or her self-centeredness.  (I asked the folks yesterday how long it takes for a kid to grow up and someone yelled, "40 years!")

Jesus was not pointing to innocence when he pointed to that child.  He was pointing to the child's powerlessness, his vulnerability, his dependence.

After all, he pulls this kid out of the crowd as the disciples are discussing the question of "greatness." 

The disciples were thinking in terms of "power enhancement." 

Jesus was thinking in terms of "powerlessness enhancement."

If we want to be great in the kingdom, we have to become as vulnerable, dependent and powerless as children in terms of our relationship to God.

This is just all over the teachings of Jesus:

To whom does Jesus promise the kingdom? The poor in spirit.

To whom does Jesus ascribe greatness? The one who serves everybody else.

To whom does Jesus give the first place? To the one who takes his place at the end of the line.

This is how Jesus even thought of himself.  Take a look at John 5: 19 ff.  Jesus points to his own dependence upon God.  He does nothing and says nothing that he doesn't get from the Father.   It seems to me that if Jesus says this about himself then we ought to chime right in: "Me too".

"I am the vine and you are the branches.  Apart from me you can do nothing."  Remember that?

Oh...let me add one other thought here.  How can we know that we are being childlike?  (Not childish..that's easy enough to discern!)

Well..I think one surefire way we figure that out is to look at our prayer life.  I suspect if we aren't continually seeking God's presence, care and guidance that we are probably pretty much calling our own shots- don't you?