A Children's Kingdom

Suggested by Marie Andresen


Matthew 18:2-4

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away)
In the wind of change

"Wind of Change" written by Klaus Meine, recorded by The Scorpions on "Crazy World"

In the ancient of days, there was no person with less status than a child, a girl had less status than a boy. Our English reading doesn't tell us if the child was a girl or boy, nor does the original Greek. Regardless, the child is in the lowliest position in the society, one of submission. The child submits to all. There is no such thing as a spoiled brat among the Hebrew children. There isn't enough to go around to be spoiled and the culture doesn't allow brattiness.

So when Jesus tells the people that the people must be lowly like the child is lowly to be greatest in the kingdom of heaven he not only means they must submit to God, he also means they must submit to one another. How's that for something missing from our society today?

People say "I'll respect you when you show respect for me." Well think of that for a moment, if someone else's submission is a prerequisite for your submission, can you expect any different from them? If you do, you're a fool. If you expect their submission out of superior force then you had better expect to use that force some day. There is not mutual submission in that relationship. There is no love. There is no God, there is only power.

There is one other thing children have which adults tend to lose, wonder, the magic of the moment. The Scorpions talk about that "glory night where the children of tomorrow dream away in the wind of change." It is only when we remember those days, that wonder, that joy, that we can recover those dreams of the magic of the moment.

Human beings have become too accustomed to living in this crazy world to think that anything else is possible. As long as that attitude is in the prevailing wind we will never know the wind of change. It's time to become like little children and take in the wind of change.

Submission and Instruction

1Samuel 3:10

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

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Here I am, baby,
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours
(You got my future in your hands)

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" recorded by Stevie Wonder from the album by the same name, written by Lee Garrett, Lula Mae Hardaway, Stevie wonder, and Syreeta Wright.

The call of Samuel was sticky. Eli knew it. Eli knew his sons, the next in line to take over the temple priesthood were the last in likelihood take over the temple priesthood. He wondered who would follow. He also knew Samuel was strong in the Lord. Eli was little surprised when the Lord called, but Samuel had never heard the voice of the Lord before. He asked Eli what was happening. After a couple of false starts, Eli told him how to answer.

The Lord called, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Here I am, baby, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours. You got my future in your hands."

How's that for a statement, you got my future in your hands. Is it a pledge? A vow? Or is it a simple statement of humble submission?

It's simple. The Lord has been speaking with Samuel. Samuel is finally listening to the speaker affirming who the speaker is. He is giving the Lord his full and undivided attention now that he knows who is speaking to him. "Speak, for your servant is listening." Samuel knows his Master and now he knows his Master's voice. He awaits instruction. He awaits guidance. He awaits direction.

Here I am Lord, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours. You got my future in your hands, just like Samuel.