“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours..”
NUMBERS 32-33
50On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the Lord said to Moses, 51“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54Distribute the land by lot, according to your clans. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one. Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes.55“ ‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. 56And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.’ ”(33:50-56)
JOURNAL
What does it really mean to receive the kingdom of God like a little child? I think it has something to do with the way children live almost completely in the present moment. A child is not preoccupied with tomorrow or anxious about next year. They are not measuring their worth by status, wealth, or recognition. Their world is immediate and full of wonder. They trust easily, believe deeply, and accept what is placed in front of them without the layers of suspicion and calculation that adults often carry.
As an adult, of course, I cannot live without thinking about the future. Responsibilities require planning and foresight. There are decisions to make, obligations to fulfill, and people who depend on me. But receiving the kingdom like a child does not mean abandoning responsibility. It means that while I plan and work, my heart remains anchored in a deeper trust. It means my faith is not constrained by the limits my mind often tries to place on God. A child believes without needing everything explained, and perhaps that is closer to the posture Jesus is describing.
When I read the command in Numbers about driving out the inhabitants of the land, it strikes me that God is warning Israel about something that quietly undermines the life He intends for them. If they leave remnants behind, those remnants will become barbs in their eyes and thorns in their sides. Small compromises eventually become constant irritations that shape the future in ways they never intended. Spiritually, the same thing can happen in my own life. If fear, shame, or doubt are allowed to linger unchecked, they slowly become the things that cloud my vision and weaken my resolve.
Receiving the kingdom like a child may mean approaching life with a boldness that refuses to let those things take root. A child steps forward without constantly calculating every possible outcome. There is an openness and courage in that posture. When I think about living this way, it does not look irresponsible or careless. It looks like moving through each day with a hopeful spirit, trusting that God is present and active in ways I may not fully understand.
Living with that kind of faith means being willing to act with confidence in the moment rather than being paralyzed by fear of what might happen later. It means letting go of the quiet voices of shame and doubt that try to define who I am. Instead of constantly measuring my life by worldly standards, I can approach it with the joy, curiosity, and trust of a child who believes that goodness is possible.
Paul’s prayer in Ephesians captures the heart of this beautifully. He prays that we would be strengthened in our inner being, that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, and that we would be rooted and established in love. Only then can we begin to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ truly is. That kind of understanding fills a person with a fullness that no achievement or status could ever provide.
Perhaps receiving the kingdom like a child simply means living each day grounded in that love. It means trusting that God is bigger than my fears, greater than my doubts, and present in every moment that unfolds before me. That kind of faith does not shrink life. It enlarges it. It frees the heart to move forward with hope, courage, and joy.
What does it really mean to receive the kingdom of God like a little child? I think it has something to do with the way children live almost completely in the present moment. A child is not preoccupied with tomorrow or anxious about next year. They are not measuring their worth by status, wealth, or recognition. Their world is immediate and full of wonder. They trust easily, believe deeply, and accept what is placed in front of them without the layers of suspicion and calculation that adults often carry.
As an adult, of course, I cannot live without thinking about the future. Responsibilities require planning and foresight. There are decisions to make, obligations to fulfill, and people who depend on me. But receiving the kingdom like a child does not mean abandoning responsibility. It means that while I plan and work, my heart remains anchored in a deeper trust. It means my faith is not constrained by the limits my mind often tries to place on God. A child believes without needing everything explained, and perhaps that is closer to the posture Jesus is describing.
When I read the command in Numbers about driving out the inhabitants of the land, it strikes me that God is warning Israel about something that quietly undermines the life He intends for them. If they leave remnants behind, those remnants will become barbs in their eyes and thorns in their sides. Small compromises eventually become constant irritations that shape the future in ways they never intended. Spiritually, the same thing can happen in my own life. If fear, shame, or doubt are allowed to linger unchecked, they slowly become the things that cloud my vision and weaken my resolve.
Receiving the kingdom like a child may mean approaching life with a boldness that refuses to let those things take root. A child steps forward without constantly calculating every possible outcome. There is an openness and courage in that posture. When I think about living this way, it does not look irresponsible or careless. It looks like moving through each day with a hopeful spirit, trusting that God is present and active in ways I may not fully understand.
Living with that kind of faith means being willing to act with confidence in the moment rather than being paralyzed by fear of what might happen later. It means letting go of the quiet voices of shame and doubt that try to define who I am. Instead of constantly measuring my life by worldly standards, I can approach it with the joy, curiosity, and trust of a child who believes that goodness is possible.
Paul’s prayer in Ephesians captures the heart of this beautifully. He prays that we would be strengthened in our inner being, that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, and that we would be rooted and established in love. Only then can we begin to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ truly is. That kind of understanding fills a person with a fullness that no achievement or status could ever provide.
Perhaps receiving the kingdom like a child simply means living each day grounded in that love. It means trusting that God is bigger than my fears, greater than my doubts, and present in every moment that unfolds before me. That kind of faith does not shrink life. It enlarges it. It frees the heart to move forward with hope, courage, and joy.
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