Month: September 2018

What does it mean to have a “childlike” faith? Webster’s dictionary describes “childlike” as “becoming a child; meek; submissive; dutiful.”

Let’s visit (Matthew 18:3), and see what the Bible says. The disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”Jesus 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. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:1-5) 

This verse tells us that God wants us to come before Him like a child, because children are innocent and trust with a pure, uncorrupted heart.

Jesus used the example of a child to help his disciple get the point. We are not to be “childish”, but rather “childlike”, with humble and sincere hearts. At the time, the disciples had become so preoccupied with their organization of Jesus’ earthly kingdom that they had lost sight of his divine purpose. Instead of seeking a place of service, they sought positions of advantage in the kingdom of heaven. 

It is easy to lose our internal purpose or perspective and compete for promotions or status in the work place, in our community, and even compete with friends and family. But God seeks a “childlike” submission, a meek spirit, and a pure heart … a childlike faith. 

It’s difficult to identify ourselves as “children” — as weak and dependent people with no status or influence.  But that is not what is meant by having a childlike faith. Instead we need to be daily renewed in the spirit of our minds, that we may become simple and humble, and embrace our identity as children of God.  Faith is simply a humble quality, which resembles child-likeness.

As we study this subject, and examine our own spirits, we must be willing to be the least of all, and we should ask ourselves, “am I being childlike or childish?”

The Bible says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6).

From a very young age we all strive to have a meaningful life. A life of meaning is not necessarily a dazzling life (being rich, popular, highly educated or perfect….).  So here is the question: where and how can we start living our truths? If meaning is not found in worldly possessions, how can a happy and contented life be achieved? 

For many of us there is a struggle of how to create a purposeful and satisfied life. We seek answers everywhere, and jump from one thing to another… What is the secret of having a fulfilling life?  I have learned some principles from the leaders and the studies that I’ve taken, and though I am still learning, I’ve discovered that one of the steps to a meaningful and contented life is to learn how to BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. If you can do this, everything else will fall into place.

Kilroy J. Oldster quoted below. 

“The greatest challenge in life is to be our own person and accept that being different is a blessing and not a curse. A person who knows who they are lives a simple life by eliminating from their orbit anything that does not align with his or her overriding purpose and values. A person must be selective with their time and energy because both elements of life are limited.”

— Kilroy J. Oldster

 God’s word says much about being true to one’s purpose (Matthew 5:5-10), 

“Blessed are the meek (Humble) for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God….”

This verse tells us that the humble, the righteous, the merciful, the pure at heart, and the peacemakers are the ones who know what a contented life is and they have purposed to live such a life.

Living true to your truth is simply about taking the MASK off, being REAL, being HUMBLE, being able to share your TRUE self and touch the lives of others. It is only by accepting ourselves as who we are, and by pursuing truth, love, beauty, and the adoration of God who is the creator of all, that we will be able to live out our unique meaningful life.

Moreover, the verse above leads us to be honest with others about who we are, what we need, and how we treat others. Do not forget that “BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF” is the start of a purposeful and satisfying life.