November 9, 2025
As a general rule, it’s the adult who does the teaching, with the child being the one who learns. Take the first grader, who, tugging at the skirt of her teacher, said: “Mrs. Story, could you please tell me what I learned in school today? My daddy always wants to know.”
Yet there are those “out of the mouths of babes, a little child shall lead them” moments when the script gets flipped (Psalm 8:2, Isaiah 11:6). Perhaps no incident speaks more clearly about this than the time during Jesus’ ministry when little children were brought to Him. When his disciples objected, Jesus became indignant, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these...whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:14,15 NASB).
What is it about children that makes them ideal candidates for kingdom citizenship?
They are:
Eager to learn- With a few exceptions, children are like sponges, keen to absorb all they can in order to make good grades, compete with their classmates, please those in authority, and most of all, gain the necessary knowledge to master a subject and advance to the next level.
Jesus, as a child, provides a perfect example. At twelve years old, while visiting Jerusalem, He went missing. When discovered by His parents three days later, He was “sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46 NASB).
It would behoove us all to take a page from the playbook of the Lord as a young boy. As the New Testament later records, “studying to show ourselves approved unto God” and “examining the Scriptures daily” (2 Timothy 2:15, Acts 17:11).
Able to celebrate- Too many of us adults are burdened by the past or anxious about the future. Children, on the other hand, do a wonderful job living in the present, often finding joy in the simplest things.
Also, most children aren’t in bondage to what people think. They’ll gladly raise their hands, stomp their feet, and sing out loudly in praise to Jesus. When King David celebrated with childlike exhilaration the Ark being returned to Jerusalem, he was chastised by his wife, Michal. As a result, she was unable to have children for the rest of her life (2 Samuel 6:20-23).
Willing to forgive- When a reporter asked a prominent man if he recalled an incident in which he was deeply hurt by a particular person, he quickly responded, “No, I specifically remember forgetting it.” While such a reply is rare for adults, it’s not so uncommon for children. They generally let bygones be bygones and move on.
As a result of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, our sins have been atoned for and can be forgiven. We need to embrace that forgiveness and pass it along to others as well, a challenge which leads nicely into the final point.
Children are:
Ready to receive- Ask a group of kids for volunteers, and hands shoot up in the air like fireworks on the Fourth of July. They don’t even have to know what it is they’re volunteering to do. Ask the same question to a group of adults and we’ll mull it over for a while, hoping someone else takes the job.
Jesus said, "whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:15). Children may not be able to define, or even pronounce, sanctification, justification, and propitiation, yet they understand a good offer when they see it. Setting aside their pride, doubts, and fears, they come to the Lord with an innocent, carefree faith, ready to launch into a life lived for Him. Be like a child again and embrace the joy and peace Jesus has to offer.
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Todd Gaddis is a semi-retired minister living in Athens. He continues to serve as an interim pastor and can be reached at jtoddgaddis@gmail.com.
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