Proud humanity disdains weakness and hates poverty.

The fall of Adam and Eve was
rebellion against their need of God,
a preference for strength:
for living on their own
without needing God and
without accounting to God.

They succeeded only in creating outrageous need
by rejection of God.

The weakness that God responds to is
not the failure of the adult
or the mess of the child but
abject poverty similar to an infant.

Babies were not worth Jesus' time, the disciples knew.
To rebuke those who brought babies,
proved their ignorance of God's nature and
humanity's helplessness.

But Jesus called them (the parents) to Him,
saying, Allow the little children to come to Me,
and do not hinder them, for to such (as these)
belongs the kingdom of God.

Truly I say to you, whoever does not
accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God
like a little child (does)
shall not in any way enter it (at all).

Another mention of those to whom
the kingdom "belongs."
The kingdom belongs to the beggar, as illustrated
by a helpless infant.

No matter what circumstances they are born to,
infants are equally helpless.
Nothing is poorer than an infant or a little child.
They have nothing, can do nothing, give nothing.
They can only scream and cry about their needs.

Such a state of helplessness is a horror and a nightmare
to the adult yet this is the recipient of the kingdom.

Why? Because the kingdom is received,
neither stormed nor conquered.
The kingdom is given. To gain it is merely to receive it.

Luke 12:32
Fear not, little flock;
for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.

The kingdom is given and only the humbled can receive.
Only the pauper can be made rich.
Only one who has been impoverished down to
a-little-child is capable of
receiving such a vast measureless gift.

The kingdom is for the sick and the weak who will be
honestly sick and weak, who are humble enough to
recognize and live in that state.

Few there are with the courage to
accept their infantile poverty,
the endurance to live quietly in that humiliation and
the smallness it takes to go through that little gate
and embrace the Father's Wonderland. 

The widow, without love and protection.
The tax collector, destitute of righteousness.
The infant, a squalling pauper.

Copyright © 2003 Martha Kilpatrick