Trusting God "as a little child"
I Particularly love the gospel story of the time young children were brought to see Jesus. The disciples tried to discourage those who brought them, but Jesus said: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid then not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein" (Mark 10:14, 15 ). Then he embraced the little ones and blessed them.
Why do you suppose it was that Jesus linked children with the attainment of heaven? Wouldn't it be because the joy, vitality, innocence, and purity children so naturally express—along with their inherent love for and trust in good—are some of the Godlike qualities we need to embody if we're to experience the bliss of God's kingdom? Happily, these qualities belong to each one of us as the offspring of our heavenly Father. Yet somehow, as we mature, they may seem more elusive—perhaps because of the sophistication of education and the disillusionment of human experience. Mary Baker Eddy observes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Jesus loved little children because of their freedom from wrong and their receptiveness of right. While age is halting between two opinions or battling with false beliefs, youth makes easy and rapid strides towards Truth" (p. 236 ).
People generally believe that man is mortal, subject to a vast array of sinful conditions and illnesses to which he must sooner or later succumb. This daunting prospect can wear on one unless the belief is regularly challenged. But the Bible helps us be alert to reject such limiting and matter-based theories. Christ Jesus, the Way-shower, us about God's protecting care and love for His children, and Jesus' works demonstrated that man is as immortal and free from discord as his creator. Jesus' ministry is packed with healings and apparently miraculous manifestations of God's power.
It takes a childlike trust and spiritual receptivity to be able to understand God and the practicality of the Christianity Jesus taught. The pure, childlike thought is not entrenched in materialistic beliefs and theories relating to man but is naturally open to Truth and its healing power—to the harmony of the kingdom of God.
One of the greatest blessings of a pure, Christlike state of thought is the recognition that the peace and joy and harmony of God's kingdom are ours by right, and that they are within our reach at this moment. Our experiencing heaven is not, then, for some distant time, but is a present possibility—which, in practical terms, means that healing and regeneration can be a daily occurrence.
Christian Science is helping humanity realize God is Spirit, infinite Love, and that He is entirely good; that man is spiritual, made in His likeness, good and perfect. Childlike receptivity to these facts, to the truth of being, and the daily living of this truth through a growing purity of thought, enable us progressively to experience the harmony of heaven.
Man is the beloved child of God; he always has been and always will be. Man can never be separated from God and is constantly cared for by Him. Reaching out to our heavenly Father in prayer, we can, with childlike trust, be assured that He will help us.
When fear enters the picture, it may not seem easy to trust God and exercise dominion. But fear is not a power to prevent good. It is the supposed absence good. Fear disappears as we glimpse and admit the allness and supremacy of God. Under the heading "Childlike receptivity" in Science and Health Mrs. Eddy explains: "Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea. Gladness to leave the false landmarks and joy to see them disappear,—this disposition helps to precipitate the ultimate harmony" (pp. 323–324 ).
It takes a childlike trust and spiritual receptivity to be able to understand God and the practicality of the Christianity Jesus taught.
Our young son, when just a toddler and attending nursery school, helped me to learn this. For a time we had no car and faced the problem of getting him to school. As we were living far from our native home, in a tropical climate and near what might be considered a bad neighborhood, at the time it seemed like a big issue to me. Keeping our son at home did not seem right, so, after some prayer on my part, I started walking with him to school, leaving early in the morning and returning at the end of the afternoon, during the cooler times of day.
Our son would amble along, delighted with this new opportunity of enjoying the scenery, seeing new things, and making friends on the way to school. In contrast, I was frustrated by the amount of time we were spending walking to and fro, and anxious about the area we had to pass through. I prayed daily, especially during the walks, and tried hard to express the same kind of love and joy that our son was showing, though it was not easy at first. Gradually, the walking became an opportunity for me to learn many things. It provided a lesson in being more patient and less fearful, and in acknowledging more of the goodness and truth of our neighbors, all of whom are God's children.
By the time we were driving again, we drove happily and confidently through the neighborhood that I had previously avoided whenever possible. I was also much happier to leave our son at school, knowing that he was constantly cared for by his Father-Mother God.
We all have daily opportunities to drop the fears and burdens of material, limited thinking and trust our Father-Mother God to protect and guide each one of us along the way. In our eagerness to care for ourselves and our families, we may sometimes be tempted to forget that God is the source of love and safekeeping for all of His children. And He gives to each of us the wisdom, goodness, joy, and vitality with which to receive the kingdom of God "as a little child."
