What Does It Mean to Have the Faith of a Child?

When we hear the phrase “the faith of a child,” our first thought is, "What does it mean?  Is it as simple as a faith of innocence, trust and dependence? And what do those terms really mean? And why did Jesus place this in our minds?

The Bible tells us in Matthew 18:3, “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” That’s a pretty bold statement, and worth digging into. Jesus was pointing us to something we need to grapple with. 

Children, in their ideal state, embody trust. They don’t overthink or second-guess. When a loving parent says, “Jump, I’ll catch you,” they leap without hesitation. That’s faith - in action. It’s not blind faith, but faith rooted in a relationship and the confidence in the one they trust.

Compare that to adult wisdom.  Adults are skeptics - they doubt, hedge and have reservations.  We demand evidence, plans, guarantees. Our sophistication becomes a barrier to faith. We’re not leaping off the edge; we’re calculating how far we might fall and if the net can hold us. 

And let’s not overlook the humility of children. They know they’re not in charge. They’re small, dependent, and often quick to admit when they need help. Adults? Not so much. We’re busy pretending we have it all together, even when the wheels are coming off. But God’s kingdom doesn’t run on self-reliance. It’s for those who know they need Him.

We're not called to childishness, tantrums or immaturity.  Nor are we called to engage in shallow thinking.  There’s a difference between being child-like and being child-ish. God calls us to grow in wisdom and discernment, to “move on to solid food” as Paul puts it in Hebrews 5:14. But that growth should never stifle the core of what faith is: trust, dependence, and humility.

Let's take a moment thinking about how this applies to our lives.  Are we clinging to control, demanding see all the light's turn green before we leave the house?  Are we willing to trust God’s character and leap, knowing He’s there to catch us?

Having the faith of a child doesn’t mean shutting down our brain. It means opening our hearts. It means understanding we don’t have all the answers and that’s okay because we know the One who does. It means believing God’s promises are as good as His word - no fine print, no disclaimers.

The world?  Well they mock this kind of faith. It calls it naïve, foolish, etc. But what’s truly foolish is trusting in ourselves, in our own limited understanding, in a world that changes with the winds. Real faith, the faith of a child, is the wisdom to trust in the unchanging God who invites us into His Kingdom.

But that’s just my take. I could be wrong...