How Do We Become Childlike in Dangerous Times?

The older I get, the more I want to become like a child. Not to extend my life but to immerse myself in it.

Jesus said that unless we turn and become like children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. He told us we must humble ourselves like a child and in this way, we would be great in heaven. (Matthew 18:3-4)

Those are powerful words and yet, I hear few people ask what it means to become like children.

I think about it all the time these days, especially as I see more children forced to act like adults or exposed to adult situations years before they should give up stories and play.

I think about it because our culture seems, daily, to be more and more drained of joy, of wonder, of laughter, and of play.

Jesus invites believers of every age to receive His stories with open hearts, with wonder, with joy. He invites us to seek, ask, and to knock because “the government is on his shoulders.” The government of the world. The government of our times. The government of our daily lives is on him. We can trust that.

Here’s an example (offered with a tongue-in-cheek smile and a spirit of love) of how a person who has become like a child receives a story Jesus tells and how a person who refuses to become like a child receives the same story.

First, the one who has become like a child quietly listens and hears this:

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Luke 10:30-37 ESV

The one who has become like a child asks questions and follows Jesus.

What’s a Samaritan? A denarii? A Levite? Where is Jerusalem? Why was he going to Jericho?

What happened to the robbers? What is compassion? What did the oil and wine do for his wounds? Did the oil and the wine have a deeper meaning?

Who are the people I treat like Samaritans? Have I been walking past hurting people, Jesus?

Did people get angry when you told this story? Did that make you angry?

Jesus, can you help me see the hurting people and show me how I can help?

How can I be as generous as the Samaritan? Are there people I don’t even see that you want me to see?

Lord, show me your mercy and help me to be merciful. This week, I’m going to keep my heart open and pay attention to those who are hurting around me. Help me remember to do this, please. Amen.

Now, here’s how the one who refused to become like a child receives the same story:

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.”

That’s a dangerous road. He shouldn’t have gone alone. Why didn’t he bring someone with him or have protection? I would never travel a road like that without thinking of the danger. I hope he learned a big lesson!

And why is the story about a man? Do you just mean a person? Then, why not just say person? Women get hurt all the time. Doesn’t this story encourage Christians to ignore the wounds of women? A person was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. That works. Are all Jesus’s stories about men? Maybe it bothers me that the man is a victim. We’re not comfortable with the victimization of men. There must be a better way to start this story that will draw more people in.

“Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”

This feels very uncomfortable to me. Are we saying all priests ignore the hurting? Are we talking about just Jewish priests or Catholic and Episcopal as well? I know some priests who are wonderful and would never walk past an injured person without helping. Same thing with the Levite. Is he representing all Levites or even all Jewish people? That’s a pretty broad generalization, isn’t it? Have we considered if maybe they were heading somewhere to help people equally in pain? Maybe they saw the other guy coming and figured he would help. Have we considered that? Does this parable have denominational implications or ethnic? I’m not sure we should even be telling this story any longer.

“But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.”

Well, in our times, that Samaritan would likely get sued for administering first aid without proper licensing, that’s all I know. It’s risky business to provide aid without knowing the victim or going through proper channels. I mean, maybe we should get a first aid/CPR class going at church if this is what people are going to start doing. Can we check our liability insurance to see where we’re covered? And the guy had wine with him. That’s all kinds of problematic. Why didn’t Jesus just say antiseptic?

“Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care”

 . . .never mind. I don’t think you’re listening.

What? No. I heard you, Jesus! I’m all over this. I think we should form a ministry team to train our staff in emergency medical interventions (after we check our liability insurance). Then, we’ll form a discovery committee to look at local medical ministries. Maybe we should also have someone look at all the parables to see which ones feature women so we can highlight that next week. And warn people about the wine reference but no, no, there’s definitely material here we can work with and . . .

Hey, Jesus, come back!

Indeed, Jesus, come soon. But until then, have mercy on us and help us to abandon childishness to become like children.

Help us recover our wonder, our joy, and our willingness to receive You every day.

**Dear Reader, I offer this with a heart of humor and not judgement as I wrestle with what I need to do to become childlike as Jesus invites us to do. What do you do to become childlike in our dangerous times?

How do we become childlike in dangerous time? https://t.co/z7qD4fCP7S #Faith #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) January 15, 2022