At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” - Matthew 11:25
One of the central themes of Christianity is this: God is good.
There is not a human among us whose brilliance is capable of comprehending the depths of the wisdom and love of God.
It is well understood that excellence in many careers requires a certain level of intelligence. Not just anyone can become an astrophysicist for example.
However, in keeping with the essence of His goodness, God does not impose a similar prerequisite on those who seek to know Him.
Instead, Jesus praises the Father for hiding the truth from those who seek only to bolster their collection of knowledge.
Why does Jesus praise the Father for such a thing? Because what makes life worth living is not the accumulation of knowledge, nor is it showing off this knowledge to the world. Jesus shares with us another glimpse of the truth when in Matthew 18:3 He says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
What child-like qualities is Jesus referring to? This is a question worth meditating on.
I believe it is the purity and humility of a child that Jesus is hinting at. Small children know that they must rely on adults for their survival. Only when we get older do we begin to believe that we can do everything on our own.
Jesus reminds us that no matter how old and wise we may become, we are incurably lost without God.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me - Psalm 51:10-12
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