By Ariel
Contents
Key Takeaways:
- Humility unlocks kingdom greatness.
- Dependence on God strengthens courage and joy.
- Every person carries heaven-level value and care.
- Lost hearts matter; found hearts spark celebration.
🧒💛 Hi friends! Ariel here! Today I’m super excited to talk about something really special my family and I explored—Matthew 18:1–5, where Jesus teaches us what it truly means to be great in God’s kingdom.
And guess what? It’s not about being the smartest, the richest, or even the most important person in the room. Nope! Jesus said the greatest are the ones who become like little children—the ones who trust easily, forgive quickly, love big, and are full of wonder. 🌟
That really made me think. We live in a world where people chase after trophies and titles and likes on their posts. But Jesus wants us to remember the simple things—like believing, hoping, and loving with all our hearts, just like kids do every day.
When I see Alice playing with Mr. Fluffernutter or asking big questions about God, I realize something amazing: kids are already great at the things Jesus is talking about! They’re honest. They’re curious. And they know how to smile at the little stuff, like bubbles, birds, or bedtime stories. (Just as Focus on the Family points out in their article “What Parents Can Learn from Jesus’ Interactions with Children,” which highlights how Jesus used children to teach powerful truths.)
Yaya told us that being childlike doesn’t mean being silly all the time—it means having a heart that’s open, kind, humble, and full of trust. And that’s exactly the kind of heart God loves. 💖
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So today, let’s dive into this lesson and think about what it means to be “great” in God’s eyes. How can we treat others with kindness, stay joyful when things get tough, and keep our hearts soft and trusting—even when life gets confusing?
Let’s learn together how becoming like little children brings us closer to God’s kingdom, and how those small-hearted moments can lead to big-hearted faith.
Let’s go! ⛪✨
TL;DR
Jesus redefines greatness through childlike humility, trust, and welcome. Families grow stronger by valuing every person, guarding little ones, and celebrating restoration.
❓ A Humble Question
So here’s how the story begins: one day, Jesus’ disciples came up to Him and asked a really big question—
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1)
My eyes widened as I read it out loud. “Whoa,” I said. “That’s kind of a bold question!”
Then I turned to Daddy and asked, “Wait… weren’t the disciples already following Jesus? Why would they ask that?”
Daddy smiled (he always loves these moments) and said, “Yes, they were learning from Jesus—but they were still thinking about greatness like the world does. They thought it meant being important, famous, or in charge. But Jesus was about to flip that idea upside down.”
That made me think about how the world sees greatness. Like, sometimes people think the “best” person is the one with the most followers, the biggest trophy, or the fanciest title. Even at school, we sometimes think the most popular kid is the most important one.
But Jesus? Jesus had a completely different answer. He didn’t say greatness was about being powerful or rich. Instead, Jesus called over a child—someone just like me or Alice—and placed the child in the middle of everyone, exactly as recorded in Matthew 18 (ESV)—a passage that shows His heart for humility and trust.
Then He said something amazing:
“Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” 💬
Wait… what? Be like a kid? That was totally unexpected!
Jesus was showing that greatness isn’t about being the best. It’s about being humble. It’s about trusting God, staying kind and open, and not thinking you’re better than others.
That really made me pause. I looked at Alice playing on the floor with Mr. Fluffernutter, laughing and talking to him like he was real (which, to her, he totally is!). She wasn’t worried about proving anything. She was just being honest, loving, and joyful.
That’s the kind of heart Jesus wants us to have.
💛 The Heart of True Greatness
Jesus wasn’t trying to make life more complicated—He was helping us see what really matters. Greatness in God’s kingdom isn’t about being first—it’s about putting others first.
It’s in how we love.
How we serve.
How we forgive.
And how we treat people who can’t give us anything in return.
That means holding the door open for someone at school, saying “I’m sorry” when we mess up, or sharing our lunch with someone who forgot theirs. These things may seem small, but they’re HUGE in God’s eyes.
So here’s the good news:
You don’t need to be the loudest or the tallest or the most famous to be great.
You just need a heart that’s soft, loving, and ready to listen.
Let’s keep going, because Jesus has even more to teach us about how special children really are…
Did You Know?
First-century culture rarely centered children in public teaching. Jesus flipped expectations by placing a child at the center of a leadership conversation.
Kid-Safe Links:
FAQ
What does “childlike” actually mean here?
Humility, teachability, trust in God, and a warm welcome toward others—never immaturity or irresponsibility.
👧🌟 The Childlike Example
So there we were, reading Matthew 18 together, and Jesus said something that totally surprised me. After the disciples asked, “Who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”—Jesus called over a little child to stand beside Him. Then He said:
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)
Whoa. That’s a pretty big deal!
Alice, who was snuggled up with Mr. Fluffernutter (he’s a stuffed bunny but very wise), looked up and asked, “Why does Jesus want us to be like kids?”
🧓 Yaya’s Wisdom
Yaya—our always-wise and always-sweet grandmother—jumped in to help explain.
She said, “Jesus didn’t mean we should act silly or throw tantrums. He was showing us that children trust, listen, and love without holding back. They’re not full of pride or pretending to know everything. That’s the kind of heart God loves.”
That made so much sense. Kids aren’t perfect, but they’re open. They ask questions. They believe big things. They don’t let fear stop them from jumping in with both feet (especially into puddles… I speak from experience). 🌈💦
💖 What It Means to Be Childlike
I imagined that little child standing beside Jesus—eyes wide with wonder, smiling up at Him, not worried about being impressive, just happy to be near Him.
That’s what Jesus wants from us.
Not perfection.
Not big achievements.
Just a heart that’s ready to love and trust.
Being childlike means:
- Saying “yes” to God even when we don’t understand everything.
- Trusting that He’ll catch us, like a parent at the bottom of the slide.
- Letting go of pride and letting God lead.
Yaya said something I’ll never forget:
“A childlike heart is a doorway to God’s kingdom.”
So the next time you wonder if you’re good enough or big enough or smart enough—remember, Jesus already showed us the answer:
Just come to Him with your heart wide open.
Let’s keep going—because Jesus is about to show us what it means to welcome others with that same childlike love!
Family Activity — “Little-Big Helper List”
Create a 3-item list of small helps for today. Examples: share a snack, invite someone to play, encourage a sibling. Pray over the list and celebrate one completed help at dinner.
Kid-Safe Links:
FAQ
How can kids show humility at school?
Share, invite others, admit mistakes quickly, and thank classmates or teachers for help.
🤗 Welcoming Others with Love
Jesus didn’t stop with just the lesson about being like a child—He took it one step further! He said:
“Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in My name welcomes Me.” (Matthew 18:4–5)
I looked up from my Bible and asked Yaya, “Does that mean Jesus loves kids extra?”
She chuckled and gave me one of her sparkly-eyed smiles. “Jesus loves everyone completely, Ariel. But He used kids as an example because your hearts are so full of trust, joy, and kindness. And when we welcome others like that—just like Jesus did—we’re really welcoming Him too.”
💛 Welcoming Is More Than Just Saying Hi
That got me thinking… welcoming someone doesn’t just mean saying, “Hey!” and then walking off. It means really seeing them the way God does.
It means:
- Inviting the new kid to sit with you at lunch 🍎
- Letting someone else go first in a game 🏀
- Making sure no one feels left out during recess 💬
- Smiling like you mean it
Alice bounced up beside me and said, “Being like a little kid sounds fun! It’s like your heart is a big squishy hug!” 🧸💗
🧒 Big Hearts, Open Arms
Alice was right. Living with a childlike heart doesn’t just change how we see God—it changes how we treat people too.
When we live like this, we’re not just being nice—we’re reflecting Jesus.
We’re saying:
“You belong here.”
“You’re loved.”
“I see you.”
Jesus said that when we welcome someone who might feel small or forgotten, He feels welcomed too.
Isn’t that amazing?
So next time you’re in class, at church, or even just playing outside, try being the one who notices others, includes them, and treats them like they matter—because they do.
Let’s go spread that childlike love wherever we are!
Did You Know?
Bible passages often use “little ones” to include kids and humble believers—people who trust God simply and need protection and care.
Kid-Safe Links:
FAQ
Why emphasize care for “little ones”?
Vulnerable people reveal a community’s true heart. Loving protection reflects God’s own care and honors Jesus’ command.
💖 Living with a Childlike Heart
After everything we learned from Jesus in Matthew 18, I started thinking… how can we actually live with a heart like a child? What would that look like in our everyday lives—at school, with our friends, or even when things feel hard?
Here are some fun, real-life ways you and I can live out what Jesus taught:
🙏 Trust God Completely
Kids trust big. Like… “jump off the swing because Daddy said he’ll catch me” kind of trust.
That’s the kind of trust God wants from us. Even when things feel confusing or scary, we can pray and say,
“God, I don’t know what’s going to happen—but I know You’ve got me.”
Just like we trust our parents to help us with homework or make dinner, we can trust God to take care of us through every twist, turn, and tumble. 💫
🧍♀️ Stay Humble
Humility means not thinking you’re better than everyone else—and that’s something Jesus loved about children. When we’re humble, we admit we don’t know everything and we’re willing to grow and learn.
It means saying,
- “I’m sorry” when we mess up
- “Thank you” when we’re helped
- And “I’ll try again” when we fail
A humble heart is a brave heart. 🌱
🤗 Welcome Others with Love
Jesus said when we welcome others—especially those who feel small or left out—we’re actually welcoming Him too! 💕
So let’s:
- Sit with someone new at lunch
- Invite others to play
- Say kind things to kids who feel shy or different
Being kind isn’t just nice—it’s holy. It shows people what God’s love looks like with real arms and real smiles.
🌼 Celebrate Wonder
You know that magical feeling you get when you see a rainbow, or find a baby bunny, or notice the stars twinkling at night?
That’s wonder—and Jesus wants us to keep that alive in our hearts.
Even when we get older, let’s not forget to:
- Say “Wow!” when we see God’s amazing creation
- Notice the little miracles all around us
- Be grateful for everything, even frogs, flowers, and fluffy pancakes 🥞
Having a childlike heart means we never stop trusting, never stop learning, and never stop loving.
And that… is exactly what makes us great in God’s kingdom.
Did You Know?
Shepherding language shows up across Scripture to portray leadership that protects, guides, and rejoices over each individual.
Kid-Safe Links:
FAQ
What does celebration look like for families?
Kind words, shared prayer, maybe a simple dessert—joy over connection matters more than anything fancy.
🌈 Final Thought from Me 💕
Wow! What a beautiful lesson we’ve learned from Matthew 18:1–5.
Jesus showed us that true greatness in God’s kingdom isn’t about being the biggest, best, or most popular. It’s about having a heart like a child—full of trust, kindness, joy, and love.
That means we don’t need to win the spelling bee, have the fanciest backpack, or be the fastest runner to be great in God’s eyes. What matters most is how we love, how we serve, and how we believe. 💛
When we live with a childlike heart, we:
- Trust God, even when we don’t have all the answers
- Stay humble and willing to learn
- See the world with eyes full of wonder
- Welcome others with open arms
- And share God’s love with a smile 😊
Each day gives us a chance to shine that kind of love—at school, at home, in our neighborhood, and wherever God leads us. We don’t need to be perfect. We just need to be real… like children who know they’re loved.
So let’s keep growing with hearts full of faith and joy. Let’s be kids who lift others up, who find beauty in little things, and who trust God with everything. Because that’s the kind of greatness Jesus celebrates. That’s the kind of greatness you were made for.
With grace, peace, and childlike wonder,
Ariel 💕
More Family Reads
Quick Check Quiz
Compare & Discern
| Mindset | Goal | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Self-promotion | Recognition | Fragile identity, rivalry |
| Indifference | Comfort | Isolation, missed needs |
| Childlike humility | Love & service | Joy, unity, courage |
Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Childlike | Humble, teachable, trusting toward God. |
| Greatness | Serving others because God loved us first. |
| Restore | Help someone return to safety, truth, and community. |
| Welcome | Receive people warmly as if welcoming Jesus Himself. |
References
| Citation | Link |
|---|---|
| Blogging4Adventure — Accountability in Love (1 Corinthians 5) | Open |
| Blogging4Adventure — Always Ready (Ten Virgins) | Open |
| Blogging4Adventure — Love in Action (Sheep & Goats) | Open |
| BibleGateway — Matthew 18 | Open |
| Enduring Word — Commentary on Matthew 18 | Open |
| GotQuestions — Become like little children | Open |
Practice & Pray
Childlike humility welcomes Jesus’ way. Receive help, offer kindness, protect “little ones,” and celebrate every found heart together.
Ariel — Kid Author & Faith Explorer
Homeschool writer at Blogging4Adventure, blending Bible study, science, and family activities. Posts reviewed by Mom & Dad for accuracy and safety; Scripture cross-checked with trusted study tools.
FAQ
How does “childlike” differ from “childish”?
Childlike means humble and trusting; childish means impulsive or unwise. Jesus invites the first, not the second.
What practice helps families start today?
Try a one-minute “Wonder & Thank You” prayer after dinner; name a wonder and thank God for it.
Where can kids serve this week?
Lunch invitations, recess kindness, quick help at home, and encouraging notes for teachers or friends.
[…] Jesus didn’t just bring them for fun. He brought them because He trusted them—to see something incredible, to remember it, and later… to share it with the world. (Just like Jesus teaches in Matthew 18:1–5, He values the humble hearts of children—ready to trus…) […]