Luke 10:21 – At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
22 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.” (NLT)

Today’s passage follows the story of Jesus sending out seventy-two disciples to share the message that the kingdom of God was near. When they returned, they shared with Jesus that even the demons obeyed them when they used the name of Jesus (Luke 10:17). People were hearing and seeing evidence that God was doing a new thing. As a result, Jesus is filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Jesus then thanks the Father that this new thing has been revealed to the childlike. This tells us something of faith, and Jesus spoke of this in Mark 10:14-15 – “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Contrast this childlike faith with that of the wise and clever that Jesus spoke of in verse twenty-one of today’s reading. Jesus is thankful that the kingdom was being experienced by the childlike, but the wise and clever could not experience the kingdom. Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 1:24-25 – “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength”.

God’s plan of salvation seems to be foolish by the ‘wise’ of the world. God’s foolishness, however, is wiser than the wisest of human plans. This passage always makes me think of my faith – and how it is that I come to God. For all my understanding, and even for my education (for which I am thankful), none of those things gets me any closer to God. It is only when I seek God like a child that I can approach the kingdom.

Recently, I was able to spend Father’s Day weekend with my grandchildren. One of my youngest, three years old, still has a childlike approach to the world. He see’s the world  with wide wonder. His honesty and approach to life are lessons for me, and for all of us!   

Today, let us approach the things of God like a child, and experience the wonder of God’s kingdom!

Posted by Ramón Torres