"Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3)
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4)
Does the Word of God teaches us to be childish?...................
Every moment we grow. As human become older/elder, we tend to avoid our previous characters/traits/behaviours during our childhood times, as so called to be matured. Is it really something we should really do? What I mean is people tend try to be different when they reach adulthood. Different doesn't mean positive. It can be negative changes as well.
We always try to escape from our own original self when we grow up. As many assumes being an adult, we cannot do what we do when we were children. Well, it's half true anyway. It's all mostly because of the world view today, or more like how your mind being set (AFFECTED & CONTROLLED) by the community around.
Before going deeper, let's go to surface level first.
Who say adults CANNOT collect robot models?
Who say adults CANNOT watch
anime/cartoons?
Who say adults CANNOT eat sweet/candies?
Who set all this rules?
Anything wrong/sinful with these?
However that is not the main point here. All these so-called children activities we tend to leave behind when we grow old. Actually nothing is wrong with these right? Just because the community around can't accept your hobby doesn't mean you are wrong. It's just you are different, unique, special. That's all.
Time to go into main course.
When we grow old, we also tend to leave behind "
sikap-
sikap" which community
around think as childish. But are those things we leave behind childish or CHILDLIKE? It's two very different things. At times we will laugh at kids saying they are childish. Yet let's come to reflect on ourselves, the one we deem as matured (I'm not yet ah).
As kids we don't smoke & drink because we know it's not good for health.
As adults we smoke like hell, pollute the air like car engine farting, & we drink
alcoholic drinks as if it's normal plain water. We do it because we like it & want it.
The kids know the truth & facts, & obeyed simply because it's for their own good.
The adults despite knowing the truth, did the wrong things for own pleasure & satisfaction which in turn
menyusahkan orang lain &
diri sendiri.
Who is the one childish here?
As kids we tend to seek counsel from parents when we
dunno bout something & we believed wholeheartedly with confidence & treated each other with sincere heart.
As adults we always being suspicious, having insecurities, scheme against each other, being a big worry, condemns others, blaming each other, high ego & self
righteousness, living in denial & refusing to face facts.
Are we straying away from moral values (secular people)?
As kids we have the combination of childishness &
childlikeness. It may sound the same but it it not.
According to dictionary,
CHILDISH therefore refers to characteristics that are undesirable and unpleasant: childish selfishness, outbursts of temper.
CHILDLIKE therefore refers to the characteristics that are desirable and admirable: childlike innocence, trust.
As we grow older, we tend to remove both as same time because some can't differentiate both of them. The best ideal way is to be matured & yet at same time childlike. Sadly enough, the world seems to brand both
togather under the label of "immaturity".
Do most of us realized when we became old, humans are trying to become children again? Is it childish or childlike? How can we say our parents that are MUCH WISER than us as childish? They had experienced the flavours of life & therefore come to realize that during life, we all gains maturity but lost our
childlikeness. That's why there is a change of behaviour, to regain the
childlikeness, not the childishness.
Add in both the Bible verse & the
explanation from SECULAR DICTIONARY:
"Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4).
CHILDISH therefore refers to characteristics that are undesirable and unpleasant: childish selfishness, outbursts of temper.
CHILDLIKE therefore refers to the characteristics that are desirable and admirable: childlike innocence, trust.
Quoted from somewhere over the
Internet:
"Children listen, obey and trust immediately. They know little but they listen. They are carefree but they obey. They are incapable but they trust. How many of us hear and know much about the word but turn a deaf ear to the Lord? How many of us are called for a mission but denied each and every opportunity? How many of us are equipped and empowered but doubt God's promises? "
Matthew 19:13-14
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray,but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Mark 9:36-37
Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,
"Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me."
God wants us to humble down ourselves, & to be as pure as children (childlike) yet be wise (matured). To me maturity is simple, having WISDOM. That's it. & I'm
still trying my best to be wiser....& retaining my
childlikeness....