Receive Child-Like Believers
David W Palmer
(Matthew 18:5 DKJV) “And whoever will receive one who becomes like this little child in my name receives me.”
Jesus said, “Whoever will receive one who becomes like this little child in my name receives me.” I believe we need humility and empathy to “receive” those who exhibit child-like trust—which includes utter dependence on God, unpretentious replication of what they see with him, and humble obedience to the simple, plain, pure commands of Jesus.
If we are to qualify for eternal salvation according to Jesus’s teaching, then these people—no matter how naïve and simple they appear—are our brothers and sisters. Why? Simply because they are devoted to, emanate from, and are imitating the same Father. In the following passage, the Holy Spirit urges us to receive them, to enjoy fellowship with them, and to love them in an uncomplicated way as equals, without judging them:
(Romans 12:16 NKJV) Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
In Matthew 18:5, Jesus said that if we receive those with childlike faith, we are actually receiving him. This is one of the ways to love him; through them, we become more acquainted with him, learn more about him, and see more of him to replicate. Obviously, worldly attitudes—the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life—do not accept these people as equals. They always want to look down on them, judge them, and/or relegate them to a “lower” position on the hen-peck order of relative standing.
Can I encourage you to see the humble child-like believers the way Jesus sees them. They are his brothers and sisters. He wants us to receive them, love them, respect them, and walk with them in humble fellowship—loving the same God and celebrating the same values.
Next, Jesus warned of something that can certainly keep us out of his kingdom:
(Matthew 18:1–6 NKJV) At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” … “unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. {4} Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. {5} Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. {6} But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
This passage shows us several things. Jesus said the entry requirement for God’s kingdom depends on: becoming like little children (verse 3), and humbling yourself (verse 4). Then in verse 6, he substitutes both of these with the one summary phrase: “believe in me.” By rephrasing the entry requirements like this, Jesus is showing us that these are different ways to say the same thing. He thus reveals two important characteristics of faith that pleases God: it is humble, and it exhibits child-like trust.
However, disciples who practice their faith like this are open to criticism. This is because their simple, child-like faith can appear to others to be naïvety. What’s more, because of the divine light that emanates from it, it is an existential threat to any dark, proud, or worldly attitudes the critics still hold. Therefore, Jesus warns that failure to recognize this type of faith as the real thing, compounded with mistreating such people, will result in a horrendous outcome for the perpetrator: “You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck” (Mat. 18:6 MSG). This is especially true if the mistreatment is to belittle what Jesus loves about them—their faith. If this extends to the point of causing them to make a step of any kind that is “not of faith,” it is sin—serious sin:
(Romans 14:23b ISV) … anything that is not done in faith is sin.
In this case, Jesus said of the person who causes his “little ones” to sin, “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
What again did Jesus say is the condition for receiving this horrifying outcome? “… causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin.” This implies that the guilty person’s response to the child-like, obedient, naïve trust of others was to want to change it somehow. If they succeed, they have not improved them in Jesus’s eyes; he says they already meet the qualification for entering his kingdom. After all, “everything that is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23 EMTV).
What is the take-home for us? Don’t judge or mess with any humble believer’s simple, obedient faith. Don’t try to improve, modify, or sophisticate an unpretentious person who is doing what they can to imitate Jesus. These actions are the quick way to be excluded from gaining entry to heaven’s kingdom. Instead, we need to focus on our own salvation—what can we do in response to, and in cooperation with, Jesus in his plan for our eternal salvation?
(Philippians 2:12 CEV) … work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved.
Today, I encourage you: don’t look for the high and mighty or proud big talkers to find close fellowship. On the contrary, associate with the humble, child-like believers whose simple faith and obedience to Jesus’s commands seem like naivety in the world’s eyes. If they sincerely want to imitate our loving heavenly Father; if they want to be like Jesus and walk in his footsteps, they are your genuine brothers and sisters.
Enjoy their fellowship, celebrate their faith, but don’t try to change them from their humble simplicity. Their faith, and yours, is precious to God. Everyone may not celebrate them; in truth, many may even look down on them as naïve, and lacking worldly “smarts.” But they are God’s children; he loves them, values them, and enjoys their faith. Learn from them.
If you find that others are looking down on you because you are exhibiting simple child-like trust and obedience, rejoice:
(Matthew 5:11–12 NKJV) “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. {12} Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
But remember:
(Matthew 18:10–11 NKJV) “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. {11} For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”
