Little child

[Kansasdad]

Matthew:

4And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

5'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.

When Jesus is talking about a little child like this, Who is he refering to?

I see this as a person who has child like faith, lacking pride, completely trusting of God. This could be a child or a 90 year old person.

Your thoughts,

Kansas Dad

[EricH]

Matthew:

4And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

5'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.

When Jesus is talking about a little child like this, Who is he refering to?

I see this as a person who has child like faith, lacking pride, completely trusting of God. This could be a child or a 90 year old person.

Your thoughts,

Kansas Dad

I agree. Especially in the light of Matthew 18:1-2 where the dicsiples were concerned about who would be the greatest

[shepherdsgrace]

I think humility is the word for sure. A child has the humility to believe. What he is told he accepts until he learns otherwise.

[Kabowd]

I think humility is the word for sure. A child has the humility to believe. What he is told he accepts until he learns otherwise.

I think this is the key here, humility. We have to be careful that we don't attribute "childlike faith" to meaning an immature or "simple" faith. I believe this description was less about the faith and more of an insight on the heart/motive of the child. The reason I think we need to clarify is because I've seen these verses (and a few others) used to justify immaturity and/or to suggest that one need not study or grow deeper in their understanding/knowledge of Scripture. God is looking for people who come to Him with the humility of a child, not people who will be childlike or remain immature in their faith.

[Kansasdad]

I agree with this completely, I think humility is absolutely the key. Jesus is very harsh on Pride. Now what I find interesting is then in Matthew 10 Jesus says this,

10`Beware! -- ye may not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their messengers in the heavens do always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens,

This is saying that these humble faithful have a messenger in heaven. In another translation it refers to their Angle in heaven.

What are your thought on each of us having a messenger in heaven.

God Bless,

Kansas Dad

[apothanein kerdos]

I think humility is the word for sure. A child has the humility to believe. What he is told he accepts until he learns otherwise.

I think this is the key here, humility. We have to be careful that we don't attribute "childlike faith" to meaning an immature or "simple" faith. I believe this description was less about the faith and more of an insight on the heart/motive of the child. The reason I think we need to clarify is because I've seen these verses (and a few others) used to justify immaturity and/or to suggest that one need not study or grow deeper in their understanding/knowledge of Scripture. God is looking for people who come to Him with the humility of a child, not people who will be childlike or remain immature in their faith.

[irishcowboy]

Matthew:

4And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

5'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.

When Jesus is talking about a little child like this, Who is he refering to?

I see this as a person who has child like faith, lacking pride, completely trusting of God. This could be a child or a 90 year old person.

Your thoughts,

Kansas Dad

Hey, from another Kansas "dad"..... lol......

I would say the same..... that the child, is any of those (us) that have been adopted into the House of the Lord.....

even so much to say, that if a person harms a child ( child = any person ) that they should be looking at the millstone story..... purposely leading some one astray, is infact, harming a child, whether it is a person of 1 minute into this world or a person that is 120 years into this world..... and even before a person see's the light of day ( like in prior to birth, as some cultures start the aging process for a person at conception, not at birth and count the persons age from that point on...

hmmmm Messagners in Heaven? guardian angels?

could very well be.....

I recall when my eldest son, was an infant, i would be up nights rocking him and comforting him because of colic...... one night in peticular, as i was rocking him and singing to him (good thing everyone else was asleep, they might have been running for ear plugs..... ) Michael started looking at something(or someone) just over my shoulders..... well that is where it appeared that he was looking..... I tried to move him so he would be looking else where, and he continued to look at the same point.... in the air, not the wall not me.... and then he calmed down.... and that was the last time i was up for colic.......

so,

judge for ones self.....

mike

[Kansasdad]

Matthew:

4And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

5'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.

When Jesus is talking about a little child like this, Who is he referring to?

I see this as a person who has child like faith, lacking pride, completely trusting of God. This could be a child or a 90 year old person.

Your thoughts,

Kansas Dad

Hey, from another Kansas "dad"..... lol......

I would say the same..... that the child, is any of those (us) that have been adopted into the House of the Lord.....

even so much to say, that if a person harms a child ( child = any person ) that they should be looking at the millstone story..... purposely leading some one astray, is infact, harming a child, whether it is a person of 1 minute into this world or a person that is 120 years into this world..... and even before a person see's the light of day ( like in prior to birth, as some cultures start the aging process for a person at conception, not at birth and count the persons age from that point on...

hmmmm Messagners in Heaven? guardian angels?

could very well be.....

I recall when my eldest son, was an infant, i would be up nights rocking him and comforting him because of colic...... one night in peticular, as i was rocking him and singing to him (good thing everyone else was asleep, they might have been running for ear plugs..... ) Michael started looking at something(or someone) just over my shoulders..... well that is where it appeared that he was looking..... I tried to move him so he would be looking else where, and he continued to look at the same point.... in the air, not the wall not me.... and then he calmed down.... and that was the last time i was up for colic.......

so,

judge for ones self.....

mike

This is another part of these verses that can be contentious. Clearly Jesus is talking about his children, and yet he has extremely strong warning for anyone who would lead them astray. How do you lead one of his faithful astray. And if this wasn't possible why the extreme warning about doing it.

Thanks for the story, it was wonderful. I can't help but ponder the purpose of a messenger in heaven.

God Bless,

K.D.

[Kabowd]

Matthew:

4And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

5'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.

When Jesus is talking about a little child like this, Who is he referring to?

I see this as a person who has child like faith, lacking pride, completely trusting of God. This could be a child or a 90 year old person.

Your thoughts,

Kansas Dad

Hey, from another Kansas "dad"..... lol......

I would say the same..... that the child, is any of those (us) that have been adopted into the House of the Lord.....

even so much to say, that if a person harms a child ( child = any person ) that they should be looking at the millstone story..... purposely leading some one astray, is infact, harming a child, whether it is a person of 1 minute into this world or a person that is 120 years into this world..... and even before a person see's the light of day ( like in prior to birth, as some cultures start the aging process for a person at conception, not at birth and count the persons age from that point on...

hmmmm Messagners in Heaven? guardian angels?

could very well be.....

I recall when my eldest son, was an infant, i would be up nights rocking him and comforting him because of colic...... one night in peticular, as i was rocking him and singing to him (good thing everyone else was asleep, they might have been running for ear plugs..... ) Michael started looking at something(or someone) just over my shoulders..... well that is where it appeared that he was looking..... I tried to move him so he would be looking else where, and he continued to look at the same point.... in the air, not the wall not me.... and then he calmed down.... and that was the last time i was up for colic.......

so,

judge for ones self.....

mike

This is another part of these verses that can be contentious. Clearly Jesus is talking about his children, and yet he has extremely strong warning for anyone who would lead them astray. How do you lead one of his faithful astray. And if this wasn't possible why the extreme warning about doing it.

Thanks for the story, it was wonderful. I can't help but ponder the purpose of a messenger in heaven.

God Bless,

K.D.

Are you leading this into a topic about salvation security? Are you suggesting that a person who has been redeemed could be led out of redemption? Please clarify what you're getting at.

[Kansasdad]

oops posted twice.