Matthew 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Is there a difference between being childish and being childlike? Are those words just different in our English language or are there actual, distinct concepts represented by them that go all the way back to the Bible? Yes, you find the difference between childish and childlike even in the Bible.
For instance, childish means “to be immature.” The Bible tells us, “Woe… when thy king is a child.” The Bible tells us to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Paul said, “When I became a man, I put away childish things.” So, childish is not something that is positive in our English thinking or in the Bible.
There are several examples in a couple of chapters in Matthew that remind us of what it is to be childish. For instance, Matthew 18:1 says, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Well, how natural that instinct and childish that question! It is like one child saying to the other on the playground, “My dad can beat up your dad.” We grow up, but we don’t grow up. We are the same as ever we were.
Another example of being childish can be found in Matthew 18:21 which says, “Then came Peter unto him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” That is a childish kind of question. Now, in all fairness to Peter, Peter was being generous here because the religious leaders of his day said that you had to forgive people up to three times, and that is more times than I want to forgive people. But it is kind of a childish question.
The third example of childishness is found in Matthew 19:27 where Jesus has just told a rich, young ruler to give away all that he possessed. Peter asked Jesus, “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” In other words, Peter is asking, “What’s in it for us?” I might be a little harsh on Peter here because I think that this is a question that may have some validity to it, but behind it all is at least a childlike ignorance that could result in childish immaturity or selfishness. So, being childish is not what we want.
On the other hand, being childlike means “to be marked by innocence, trust, or humility.” When the disciples asked who was the greatest, Jesus called a little child to Him and said, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” So, humility and childlike faith are put together.
You find this throughout these two chapters. If I offend a little one, if I trip up a child, a little or humble one, it is better for me to have a stone wrapped around my neck and be tossed into the ocean. Again, Matthew 19:13 says, “Then were there brought unto him little children.” The disciples, as adults often do, put them aside and said, “We don’t have time for these little kids.” But Jesus said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
So, God would have you to grow up. God would have you to grow in grace. God would not have you to be immature or childish. Yet, God would have you to be childlike, to rest in Him and to trust in Him