Embracing childlike qualities can help us see who we really are.
This fall, I’ve been reading a lot of children’s literature for one of my classes, and it has caused me to reflect deeply on what it means to be childlike. In her general conference address titled “Become as a Little Child,” Sister Jean A. Stevens teaches, “Our Heavenly Father knows children are a key to helping us become like Him. There is so much we can learn from children.” This same principle is echoed in Matthew 18:3, where the Savior declares: “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
We know it is important to “become as little children,” but what exactly does that mean?
Sister Stevens answers this question for us: “These precious children of God come to us with believing hearts. They are full of faith and receptive to feelings of the Spirit. They exemplify humility, obedience, and love. They are often the first to love and the first to forgive.”
Photo by Emma Bauso
Out of all people, children are the closest to heaven—literally. Having recently left God’s presence, their spirits still carry the light and innocence of that divine home. As we grow older, life tends to dim that light. We become guarded. We doubt more. We build walls to protect ourselves, forgetting the purity and closeness we once knew. But Christ invites us to remember, return, and reclaim the childlike qualities that draw us closer to him.
As a young adult, when I’m often told to grow up, be self-sufficient, and have it all figured out, Christ offers a refreshing alternative when he invites me, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). We don’t need to be perfect. We are already beloved children of God. All he asks is that we trust him like a child trusts a worthy parent.
What does it mean to become as little children? Embrace wonder. Forgive freely. Love deeply. Trust God completely. In doing so, we discover our divine identity.
Read Sister Jean A. Stevens’s address “Becoming as a Little Child” to discover how becoming childlike helps us become more Christlike.
Source: General Conference
—Ellie Lallatin, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Find more insights
Learn more about what it means to be a child of God by reading “Children of God” in the Gospel Study Guide.
Read “As a Little Child” by Elder Jefferey R. Holland for more information on the divine quality of children.