THE
WIDE BELIEVING EYES OF A CHILD
My
friend an intellectual and academic, asks me why I profess to be a Christian,
knowing that we used to be rabid skeptics during our college days. I gave him a
straight, simple answer.
I
told him my conversion was providential. One day I said to myself if I were to
remain a skeptic, then I had to be honest in my skepticism. So I got down to
read Christianity’s Scripture, not with a critical mind, but to know really
what it has to say to me. So I came to the saving grace of Christ, not as a
learned man, of which I could not perfectly say I am, but as a child.
The
most amazing message that Jesus said, struck me, cutting me down to size. The
Savior said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter
it." (Mark 10:15)
Then
He continued to say, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins
and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”(Matthew
18:3). “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven”(Matthew 18:4)
I
realized I am a sinner, no doubt about it. And the wages of sin is death (Romans
6:23). The best things I will ever attain, or hope to attain, or the best of
whatever good I will do or hope to do, cannot impress the Living God, who
created everything and before whom all
of us, at the appointed time will stand.
And
this is where I part company with some of my friends, who believe that as long
as they live good upright and moral lives, as long as their good deeds outweigh
the bad, they are right with God.
The
problem is no one is good enough. I believe that while there is some innate
goodness in man, Scripture declares that man has fallen into sin, and this sin
nature, separated him from God. The Bible declares that all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God.(Romans 3:23) For there is no one
righteous, not even one.(Romans 3:10).
Even
the best of us and the most upright of men cannot stand before the awesome
presence of the Almighty God and claim that he deserves to enter God’s Kingdom,
or deserves God’s favor, solely upon his own personal merit. I also realized I cannot approach God on my
own terms. Having rejected God at some point in my life, did not give me any real peace, or joy, at
all, but restlessness and turmoil, for I was looking for Him in the wrong
places.
I
came to the point of understanding that man’s salvation is by grace through
faith, not of himself, it is a gift of God, and not of man’s works, so that no
one can boast. The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans
6:23).
This
conviction led me to embrace the Christ, of the Christians. For Christ died for
sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He
was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18). This
is the living hope of all Christians. Hope that if they die in Christ, they too
will live with Him.
Conversion
is becoming like a child. Children do not put on airs of pride and arrogance.
They do not desire power or authority, they do not make harsh judgments, are
free from malice, teachable, trusting, utterly dependent, and weak. A childlike
faith is simple, simple enough to understand.
In
their book, Wrestling Prayer, Christian authors Eric and Leslie Ludy, aptly
said, “So, if you are an intellectual who thinks himself smarter than the Word
of God, I hope my unwavering confidence in the Bible doesn't prove a stumbling
block but rather an inspiration as you keep reading. For what we are about to
enter into is sacred territory that can be apprehended only through the wide,
believing eyes of a little child. This divine terrain holds untold blessings in
its bosom; however, those blessings will be gleaned only by those who rise up
and claim them with the unabashed faith of a five-year-old.”
God
Bless you my friend.
