Matthew 18:4
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I'm at an interesting point in this parenting journey where my kids are trying to balance independence with a desire for closeness. My four-year-old will tell me he has to go to the bathroom because he wants me to come keep him company (fun!) but if I try to pick out his pajamas, sometimes world war three breaks out.
And isn't this the same battle we have within ourselves? We want to experience God's love and protection yet we want to be self-sufficient and we think those two things are mutually exclusive. So here we are again with this perfect illustration of having faith like a child.
Even in a child's desire for independence, he still wants closeness. Liam wants to get his own vitamins out but he wants to know how I eat mine and which one I think he should eat today. He wants to play a game on my iPad, but he wants me there watching him. It comes down to that word that we all sing along with in the old Matt Maher song, "Abide." To abide is to want to be linked to Christ in all areas of your life. To depend on Him. To look to Him for instruction. To live your life with the wisdom and discernment God has given you, but live it in Him as a humble child who wants nothing more than to have Him by your side.
