At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Matthew 18:1-5

Last week in Sunday School we had a conversation about Matthew 18:1-5. I’ll save you 30 minutes by saying it was primarily about how to maintain a childlike faith while being an adult. How do we keep a sense of wonder alongside a respect for being responsible for ourselves and others?

The class had great insight about humility being the key and not taking ourselves too seriously while at the same time being serious people. They also mentioned a willingness to see God in the big and small things in acts of gratitude. It was a great reminder of the importance of studying in community alongside our personal study. (as an aside, if you haven’t found a Sunday School class let me encourage you to put it on the top of your list!)

I want to add one more posture of childlikeness that adds to our faith as we grow older….curiosity. Children are naturally curious. As time progresses in life, if we are not careful, we lose the excitement to ask questions, try new things, and learn new things. But it is absolutely a key to maintaining a childlike faith in the best sense of the term.

When was the last time you did something for the first time? When was the last time you asked a question in order to discover a new truth? The list of curious activities goes on and on.

That is what I love about Lent. We are encouraged to take up something or give up something that often pushes us out of our comfort zone. It puts us in a position of a beginner, a learner, and even a child.

By the way, it is not too late! Four more weeks of Lent are plenty of time to get in on the fun. Holler if you’d like some ideas!