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“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15).

We stepped onto the dirt floor of her tiny home. Darkness had come and her little girl hurried to light a lone candle. There were only 4 matches left. The candle would not stay lit with the warm breeze blowing in through the cracks in the wall. There was very little in the home yet Mary was delighted to invite us in.

Her story touched my heart. I remembered her from a previous visit two years earlier. Mary had grown up in the difficult circumstances that extreme poverty brings. No formal education; harsh abuse and life on the street had been her “normal” until she met the missionary.  Yet even at the day home where new skills could be learned, hygiene was taught and faith in God was introduced, Mary seemed unable to learn. Even the simplest craft was too difficult for this weary young mom.

Yet today we saw a joy in her face. Her eyes were bright with expectation. The craft sale at the day home tomorrow would bring in a little cash for her. She had mastered a simple craft and was very proud of it.

Mary told us, with confidence in her voice, that Jesus was helping her. She told us with tears, that when her daughter comes home from school and needs help with her homework, Mary simply asks Jesus to help her help her daughter and He does. Mary herself is now learning to read.

Mary has the faith of a child. Once she understood the love of God the Father and invited Jesus to make her new. He did just that! She asks Him about everything in her life …. and He is there. He gives her strength and provision and insight. When she has no bus fare to get to the day home she asks God for work. He brings along someone who needs a load of laundry washed or a field cleared. Mary goes with her machete and works for her bus fare and grocery money, confident that God is providing these opportunities for her, just when she needs them.

And Mary shares. When she has a little she passes some of it on to her neighbors because her heart overflows with gratitude to God. Mary walks with God and her life is very different today because of her child-like faith…. and God walks with Mary.

I was challenged to look again at my own faith. Oh how we over-complicate things with our church politics, our doctrinal differences, our busyness and our self -sufficiency.

I return home with a determination to be more like Mary, to simply trust Jesus with child-like faith…. in everything ….. all day.   It’s a challenge in our intellectual, fashion-conscious, money-focused culture.  Yet that is exactly what Jesus calls us to do and with the promise that His kingdom will be established in our lives.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15 New International Version).

Lord, Today may my heart simply trust You, as a child, with every detail. I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Questions: What do you place your faith in most of the time? How do you understand the phrase “…anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it”?

About the Author Gail Rodgers