Doves On Distant Oaks

Like a Child

I was thinking today about how to strengthen my relationship with God. What was one act of obedience I can do that might help? There are lots of choices in the Bible, but I kept coming back to one thing.

In a word, humility.

I have been on a quest lately to understand what true humility is and how to grow closer to God through it. Certainly, the Bible is full of verses on the need to be humble, and our Lord and Savior showed what true humility is by washing the feet of his disciples. Yet, finding a way to put that into practical use on a daily basis has been elusive at best.

After all, Christ was the very embodiment of humility, as Paul states:

He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. (Philippians 2:7)

But I'm not Jesus. I'm too full of my sense of self, constantly putting myself on the throne, much to my chagrin. I believe that's what's preventing me the most from strengthening my relationship with God.

My feeling is that humility is particularly difficult to accomplish because the opposite of humility—pride—is the granddaddy of all sin. It was actually the first sin committed in creation. For a long time, I believed it was the disobedience of Adam and Eve, but before that, it was Lucifer and his pride. Pride is what leads us deeper into other sins because it generates the feeling we know what's best for us instead of God.

However, I found some enlightenment in reading about the time when the disciples of Jesus began asking Him who among them would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Talk about prideful. In answer to them, Jesus called a child over to him and said:

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)

I've read this verse many times, but it never really struck home. That's because, much as I love children, I don't really know many humble children. Oh, there are some that surprise us from time to time, but the majority have an unlimited capacity for selfishness. Not their fault—it's built in.

So how are we to become humble as children, when we realize that children aren’t all that humble?

What Jesus is talking about is a different kind of humility, though it is basically the same as our understanding of the word. The Greek word is tapeinōsei, which indeed means "will humble;" as in: whoever will humble themselves. Yet, it carries other meanings such as "make low" or "demean." What Jesus was saying was that unless we can see our status to be as lowly a children, we will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Compare that to how the disciples were asking who would be the greatest.

During the time of Jesus, children were little more than tolerated in society. Certainly, the were loved and protected within the family, but in the culture as a whole, they were virtually invisible and too foolish to associate with. Children were on the bottom rung of society, holding almost no value to the society of the times.

In Roman society, for example, children were so lowly regarded that they were often killed outright when they were born ... if they were not desired. Most often, they were simply left out in the woods to die of exposure. Makes you wonder about the direction American society is headed..

It was also evident in the literature of the time. The Greek word for child, pais or paidion, can also can mean "servant" or "slave." Philosophers regularly chided someone as stupid or foolish by calling them nepios, which means "inexperienced" or "helpless," descriptors often used on children. Even Paul told the Corinthians to stop thinking like paida, "children" (1 Corinthians 14:20).

Don’t we even see a little of the "bottom-rung" mentality of children in modern families. Have you ever seen or heard a child walk up to their parent at a social gathering and tug on their sleeve, or on their hand, calling out “mommy” or “daddy.” In most cases the parent will ignore the child. Only after repeated attempts will the parent turn to the child, usually annoyed or even exasperated, and scold the child for interrupting an adult conversation. Not terribly bad, but multiply that exponentially and you have a good understanding of the status of children in the time of Jesus.

And yes, I know children need to be instructed not to interrupt, but you get the general idea. Because that's when it occurred to me ... in order to show true humility, and humble myself like a child (especially like those in Jesus’ time), it means placing myself—all of my wants, needs, and desires—subservient to everyone else. Everyone's. Every time.

Ouch.

And yet that's exactly what we must make ourselves if we are to be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Make no mistake, Jesus was adamant about that. He didn't simply say, "C'mon fellas, rein in the vanity a little" when they began talking about who would be greatest. It's a conversation Jesus had with His disciple on other occasions, so they were probably all hoping it was them. But Jesus answered sternly, "UNLESS YOU CHANGE …"

We need to begin making those changes in our own lives. We must act like children, not in their sometimes foolish or happy-go-lucky manner, though the latter is sometimes a good way to be. No, we must act like children in the way Christ meant it, in a way that elevates everyone around you until you have made yourself the lowest of all.

That's a tough one, but it's what I need to be doing to bring myself closer to God. To practice true humility, I must place myself on the bottom rung. I’m going to be praying for strength to practice that kind of humility.

Lots of praying.

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

– Psalm 25:9

Keywords: Children, Humility, Pride

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