Like a child

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:17
I’m so grateful that I grew up in a Christian home and have always known God in my life. I don’t know if I would have found Him had this influence not been there; I may well have gone the way of so many intellectuals I know – trusting in my own brain. So I can well appreciate verses like this one.
What does it mean to receive God ‘like a little child’? Children are uncomplicated. They don’t look for ulterior motives, they just accept what they are told. (“You mean God loves me no matter what? Cool!” – rather than, “There must be something in the fine print; it’s too good to be true.”) This means doctrines like the Trinity, predestination vs free will, etc., are not an issue for children. (God is one. Yes. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yes. All at the same time. Yes. But there’s one God. Yes.) They don’t have a problem with believing any of the miraculous Bible stories – Creation, the Flood, the Red Sea. And when a child receives a gift, they don’t think about how much it cost or try to repay the person who gave it to them (like some people try to do with God for their salvation). We can learn a lot from this.