Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven

Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 

There’s a photo that has gone viral in recent months that shows a young girl with Down syndrome contentedly holding the hand of Pope Francis while he speaks to a group of people.   She was a Special Olympics athlete who had just presented a gift to the Pope and she wanted to stay next to the Holy Father and enjoy his company.   Even her parents’ urging couldn’t convince her.

If there’s one thing true about young children, it’s that they have their own unique way of entering into a situation.   They love to engage in whatever is going on around them, even if they’re not the center of attention.   They operate in the “now” and don’t usually concern themselves with the past or future.

As adults, we so often focus on “doing” rather than just “being.”   “Doing” refers to the way our minds work.   As we set goals and try to meet them, we start to look at each present moment as the means to an end that we want to achieve in the future.   We measure our worth or value by whether we have achieved all we set out to do.   We feel good if we consider ourselves successful, and we feel bad when we face a setback.

If we become too preoccupied with “doing,” we end up missing out on the grace of just “being” in the present moment.   What’s more, when “doing” becomes our primary focus, we risk thinking that our value comes from what we do rather than who we are.

Think about children:   they receive the love of their parents because they are their children!   Yes, parents appreciate what their children do, but their love is based on who they are.   When love is based on “doing” alone, a child can grow up less secure and with more emotional needs.

That’s not how God treats us.   Just as the pope treasured that little girl for who she is, our heavenly Father treasures us for who we are.   He loves us simply because we are his children.   Whether we are rich or poor, talented or challenged, healthy or ill—it doesn’t matter.   He just loves us.   He loves you.

Word Among Us