Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive and accept and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] positively shall not enter it at all. Mark 10:15 (AMPC)
Children are not conscious of being deserving or not deserving of good things. They are only conscious of being loved, valued, and known.
How do children relate especially with their parents, guardians or caregivers? Totally trustingly!
Children are absolutely convinced that only good and no evil ever comes from their parents, guardians or caretakers. This is the very same mindset we ought to have about God. Jesus said “fear not little flock for it’s your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” Luke 12:32.
Unfortunately, adults who even presumably know God, believe that Father God gives not only good but also evil. Job in the bible also thought this way for after the troubles that came to him, he said
“Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” Job 2:10. NLT
Yet God is good, does good, and gives what’s good. Psalms 85:12; 119:68.
Children are conscious of unconditional acceptance. They believe they are accepted without connecting it to their actions. While the religious leaders who trusted and boasted in keeping religious rules turned their back on and failed to enter the Kingdom by rejecting Jesus, prostitutes and tax collectors who were considered the worst of sinners came to the kingdom in great numbers.
They freely accepted Jesus’ unconditional love. Jesus referred to these sinners as babes to whom the Father revealed the secrets of the kingdom. At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. Luke 10:21. How do children receive? Unqualifiedly freely. Matthew 10:8 says freely you have received… To receive the kingdom of God like a child is to freely receive and enjoy every good thing that Father God provides through Jesus Christ without the sense of whether you deserve it or not but rather with the consciousness of His unconditional love for you.
It is saying yes to, embracing, and taking advantage of all of heaven’s blessings and resources knowing that only and only Jesus Christ and the work He finished for you on the Cross of Calvary is what qualifies you for it all. Receive the kingdom of God, His forgiveness, righteousness, deliverance, peace, joy, strength, help, guidance as a child – that is trustingly, freely, knowing that it’s based on the Father’s unconditional love for you and not on anything you’ve done.