Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Matthew

[Rogue One]

What does 'change and become like little children' mean? Matthew 18:3.

What does Jesus mean here?
What does it mean to 'change' and be like little children?
It sounds really important!
But I'm a grown man.
Help!

[jimwalton]

Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to become born again (Jn. 3.3), and Nic made the mistake of thinking he was talking about physical things and Nic somehow had to find his way back to the womb. Don't think that because you're a grown man you need to figure out how to be a kid.

Jesus doesn't explicitly explain what he means by it, but based on the context and his surrounding comments, we can get pretty close.

- Humility is crucial for Christians (Mt. 5.3; Phil. 2.5-9).
- An acceptance of insignificance. Subject to authority. All that matters is God's will and God's kingdom.
- A denial of self and instead orienting one's life to our relationship with our Father
- Have no fixed preconceptions of reality. Learn instead to think like your Father
- Know how to accept a gift
- Know how to trust. A reckless confidence. Abandon to God as a child does to their parent
- Submit to training

[Rogue One]

Excellent answer. I'll give it a go