A Childlike Faith vs. a Childish Faith

Or, How To Grow Backwards and Forwards At The Same Time

1 /

In Matthew 18, Jesus says that “whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

He goes onto say that we must “become as little children” to enter the kingdom of God.

I have three children, all radically different in nature. One cried the other night, so terrified that being bored in church would mean they were headed straight to Hell. The other gleefully reminds me how much Jesus loves them on a regular basis and regularly reminds their siblings of their many “sins you’ll have to go to confession for!” The third is still learning the basics—that’s Mary, that’s baby Jesus. That’s Moses. That dove is somehow God. All related, but they don’t grasp the details. They say a mighty cute St. Michael prayer every night, though.

So which one, exactly, am I supposed to be becoming like? Which child has it right?

2 /

“Why does God allow bad things to happen to me?”