Don’t treat me like a child!
The great prophet, teacher, and first born of many Yah’shua gave us knowledge of why we should be like children. If this is truth then how should we interpret this?
When we were children we thought as children. Our young lives were filled with mystery and intrigue. Everything was new and we thirsted for more knowledge and understanding, we wanted to know how things worked and why. We had a constant desire to understand all that went on around us. We didn’t know what hate was, but we sure knew what love was. We may have disliked something that occurred to us, but we never hated because we didn’t even know what it was. Pride and vanity were unknown.
Luke 9:47-48
46And a reasoning arose among them, who might be the greater of them. 47And Yah’shua, having seen the reasoning of their heart, took a little child and placed him by His side, 48and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My Name receives Me. And whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all, he shall be great.”
As we became older and our understanding increased, we became more knowledgeable about the things of the world. With this newly found information we slowly became vain and prideful to varying degrees.
Before we acquired knowledge of the world we were without vanity and pride, we were almost entirely free of these sins. As we matured our emotions became pronounced, no longer was everything black and white and plain as day. Our perspectives had to change to accommodate all of this new information we had gained. What was once clear and plain is now murky and ever changing. Everyday situations challenge our emotional maturity. It is so easy to over react, or react in an inappropriate manner to small situations that arise. Most of us were raised to hide our emotions, to hold them inside of us until the accumulation of fear, anger, frustration, disappointment, and hurt overwhelms us and we release this pent up energy, almost always in a negative way.
If we were to have the control over our emotions, as we should, this negative energy would never reach the point of bursting. We would just ignore the foolish driver who sped around us only to slam on his brakes, instead of finding it a personal affront. Situations like this and many more personal issues challenge our self-control and spiritual stability.
Pride and vanity are the supreme causes of negativity. Pride is touted as a positive attribute by most of the world. If we would only realize how selfish and emotionally crippling it truly is. Vanity has caused so many problems throughout the generations, bringing about the demise of kingdoms, the killing of millions of innocent people, etc. Those who knowingly or unknowingly lust after these attributes are an abomination. Personal glory hounds, power mongers, and lovers of money are a few of the types of people caught in the trap of these sins.
Luke 18:15-17
15And they also brought infants to Him to touch them, but His taught ones seeing it, rebuked them. 16But Yah’shua called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the reign of Elohim. 17“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the reign of Elohim as a little child, shall certainly not enter into it.”
What attributes do children generally have that adults do not? Sincerity, honesty, and humility are a few of the wonderful attributes that we should all strive to re-attain. As we have grown older we have lost touch with the perfect attributes which create shalom and love and replaced them with attributes that create strife, envy, and jealousy. What a trade off we have made. The impact is obvious, take a look around at the world today.
Matthew 18 partial
At that time the taught ones came to Yah’shua, saying, “Who, then, is greatest in the reign of the heavens?” 2And Yah’shua called a little child to Him, set him in their midst, 3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become as little children, you shall by no means enter into the reign of the heavens. 4“Whoever then humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the reign of the heavens. 5“And whoever receives one little child like this in My Name receives Me. 6“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Here is Yah’shua’s ultimate message for us today. Become as we once were; do not be prideful and vain which are the trappings of wickedness, and which lead men to their doom. Regain the positive aspects of our childhood, especially humility. All of Yah’weh’s leaders were humble men. Look to Moshe, David, and Yah’shua as examples of men that were after The Eternal’s heart. They were all as children in respect to their spirituality, they did not give in to the trappings of the world, but overcame them with love, shalom, honesty, and sincerity.
May we all look to the wonderful messages of Scripture and seek to please our wonderful Creator by following the positive examples set forth by our ancestors. May we thirst for the knowledge of truth and wisdom.
May we seek to be looked upon by our Father as His children.
Shalom & Agape in YHWH’s precious Name
