Children of God

Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” Luke 9:46-48 New Living Translation (NLT) There is a reason believers in Christ are referred to as "children of God." It's not just a nice description of who we are to our Heavenly Father. It is how He wants us to be. According to Jesus, those with the welcoming spirit of a child will be the greatest in the Kingdom of God. Children have hearts that are pure and untainted by the troubles of the world. They depend upon adults to care for them and lose their innocence only as they grow older. It takes some time to develop a hard heart, but far too many do as challenges in life are faced. Our faith in God through His Son, Jesus Christ, can keep our hearts supple and loving. As we put our trust in Him, we learn we are dependent upon His mercy to exist. God is pleased when we have faith in His loving kindness. Just as we delight in how the most simple things bring joy and happiness to a child, God is delighted when we come to Him for everything with the assurance that He cares for us and will provide for our needs and even our heart's desires, according to His will. Adults can learn a lot from little children. When we begin to think ourselves all grownup, we must remember that we were once little children and try to regain that same heart of love and trust, as we will always be God's children. In keeping the heart of a child, we can all be the greatest in the Kingdom of God, even the least of us. In that day the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and goats will be at peace. Calves and fat cattle will be safe among lions, and a little child shall lead them all. Isaiah 11:6 TLB