A second aspect of childhood for the newly converted need
is the hunger to learn about the world around them. Every child seems to have a
period of time when their two favorite words are “what’ and “why?”
They ask, “What is this?” “What is that?” “Why does
it do that?” “Why do you have to do . . . ?” They hunger to
learn all they can. Jesus said the child of God should hunger and thirst
for righteousness (Matthew 5:6), learning all the Lord requires of us to live
lives of righteousness.
The third aspect of childhood for the newly converted is preparing for
adulthood. Children watch their parents and imitate what they see. The
converted look to Jesus for the attitudes and actions of mature children of God.
One attitude of Jesus is concern for the lost. In Matthew 18:11-14 Jesus
stated,
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
God doesn’t want anyone to perish, He wants us to develop the attitude of
Jesus and seek the lost. To think of people lost, without God in their
lives, wandering as sheep without the protection and guidance of the shepherd should
move us to action as it did Jesus.
This concern for the lost extends to fellow-children of God who become overtaken
in some fault. When wronged, one must be willing to go and seek
reconciliation (Matthew 18:15). If he does not listen but refuses to
repent, the wronged party is to take two or three and try again, (verse 16).
If that does not work, then the whole church must be involved (verse 17).
If that fails, then the offending party must be disciplined; for Jesus
said, “but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen
man and a publican (verse 17).
The final characteristic of children for consideration tonight is the
willingness to forgive. Children often “fuss” with one another; but
they quickly resolve their problems, and move on. Adults seem to have more
trouble doing this. But we must ever remember that our forgiveness
depends, in part, on our willingness to forgive others. Peter ask “Lord,
how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?”
(Matthew 18:21). Jesus answer was “I say not unto thee, Until seven
times: but, Until seventy times seven” (verse 22). He then told a
parable about an ungrateful servant. The moral of the parable is if I do
not for others, God will not forgive me.
—Denny