Probably not but this baby on the left sure made me chuckle this morning.
See, I was looking for a picture of a happy child to illustrate what God is up to in our lives. I'm not a prophet but I know what God is up to in your life and in mine.
Are you ready for the answer?
He's teaching us to become childlike within -- total dependency on Him. That entails getting us to unlearn a lot of the things we've been taught about what it means to be an adult and how to live our lives sensibly.
Children who are raised in loving homes and have no emotional issues don't worry or feel bad about their parents providing for them. They are totally dependent on their parents for everything. It's a fact and they have no problem with it. They don't dwell in their needs or wonder how they are going to get food or clothes or where they will sleep. They know their parents will take care of them. In this kind of environment they learn to trust and be confident within because they know they are precious and of value just because they exist.
That is what children ideally get growing up. We know this doesn't always happen though. It could be because they have a rough home environment or they have no home. Or it could be because they view life from a wrong through a cloud of self-doubt or condemnation. It isn't always the parents' fault if this kind of thing happens. But it can.
No matter how we were raised God wants to get us to that childlike state within -- totally resting in Him, knowing He will provide, knowing He's got this for us. What a joy life is when we do this -- this is what Jesus means when He says in Matthew 18:3, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
This isn't a threat. It is just truth. Who doesn't want a life free of worry? Yes, we can have that when we trust wholly in God. Jesus tells us the Kingdom of God is within us in Luke 17:21 -- there is where we enter it when we live in that state of confident dependence on Father God.
Let God teach you to unlearn those beliefs and behaviors that contradict the childlikeness we need to see Him. We can't understand this through our intellect. We can't be worry free without God, without His kingdom within us. Even if we had millions of dollars in the bank and have pleasant relationships with others (and whatever else we think will bring security), we can't be worry free or see God if we don't have this childlikeness.
Jesus says in Matthew 11, "I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes."
Trust Him. Let Him embrace you. Let that little Savior Baby be born in you this Christmas Season.