Children were important to Jesus. They were presented in different ways as exemplifying what it meant to be “great” in the kingdom of heaven. In St. Matthew’s gospel Jesus offers three ways children can serve as role models: “become like children, become humble like this child, receives one child such as this.” We become like children when were understand that all is a gift. Unlike the popular understanding that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, that you have to earn it, in the kingdom of heaven God gives us love freely whether we deserve it or not. All we can offer God is our thanks. Being humble as a child requires us to accept that who we are is who we are supposed to be. Childlike humility demands understanding that we don’t need to be other than ourselves to belong in the kingdom of heaven. Receiving a child means not expecting tit for tat. If an adult invites you, you feel obliged to invite them back. We do what we do as citizens of the kingdom of heaven not because we will get something out of it but because we see others as valuable in themselves.
