About a year ago things changed.We started to notice a shift in our daughter’s attitude. She began to be more tender towards us. To the point that now when I am sitting on the couch she will come up and snuggle next to me. At first I thought it was just an attachment thing, that she was bonding to us. But it was more than just affection. She also has become much more tender to her sin, often times asking if she can pray and ask God for forgiveness when she is caught in a sin. She also tends to look out for her brothers and sisters more and share with them. And, possibly the most shocking, though we have never encouraged it, she has started calling herself a Christian. She certainly is not perfect, but she seems like a different child, a new creation.
I do not think that we should base our theology on our experience. If I believed that the Bible taught that children could not be Christians, my experience with my daughter should not cause me to believe differently. However, I do think that at times our experience should force us to go back to the Scripture and seek to ensure that our understanding is biblical. As I have been considering our experience with our daughter, there are a few passages of Scripture that have been particularly eye-opening:
- Matthew 11:25 “At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.'”
I have always found it interesting that Jesus prayed out-loud. In at least one situation he explained that the reason he prayed out-loud was so that others would believe that God sent him (John 11:42). In Matthew 11:25, Jesus prayed out-loud and thanked his Father because He hid the truths of the Gospel from the “wise and understanding” and instead he “revealed them to little children.” I do not think he was talking about literal children, but to the weak and simple of the world (like fishermen) as opposed to those that considered themselves wise (like the Pharisees). But he specifically in this passage he specifically contradicts what our Sunday School teacher taught us. Jesus thanks God for giving his wisdom to the weak, the childlike. This thought is only bolstered by:
- Matthew 18:1-4 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'”
- Matthew 19:14 “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'”
According to Christ in order to enter his kingdom we must first become like children, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such. Rather than Christianity being an adult religion, it seems it is a children’s religion. The faith that God requires is not a faith that can only be understood by a college graduate, but simple faith. Faith that is exhibited by children. What does that mean? I have to admit at this point I am not confident as to the fullness of what Christ meant by this. But as I have observed my children I think I understand it in part. My children are characterized by trust. I can tell my children anything and they will believe what I say. The doctor we take our kids to will make bird sounds while touching their noses and say “Why, you have a birdie in your nose.” I thought I would give it a try the other day and made a bird noise when I touched Kyra’s nose. She grinned and whispered “The doctor put him in there.” Kids just believe what you tell them. They do not do Internet research or ask around, they just believe. I think this is the kind of faith that God is calling us to, which was mirrored by Abraham as an example. In face of a number of commands and promises from God that seemed crazy and impossible, “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3).
So, is our daughter a Christian? I don’t know. I kind of think so, it seems so, I want it to be so. But I think I will probably wait for more fruit before I call her to assurance of faith. I am confident, however, that the faith that Lord is calling us to is a childlike faith. One that hears what God says and just believes. I am glad to be a father and see what this should look like in my own life through my kids. And I pray that like children they will wholeheartedly believe what God says even when they become adults.
