Children find a focal place in the messages of the New Testament regarding Christian living. Children are taken to illustrate the do's and don'ts of Christian life. As someone said, 'if a growing object is both fresh and spoiled at the same time, chances are it's a child." In children one can note the characteristics that should distinguish the person of the Kingdom. On the other hand childishness keeps one away from the same Kingdom. Thus, this article is an attempt to find out some of the 'like-child' characteristics that will help the reader to examine whether we are part of the Kingdom.

Mathew 18:1-4 is the direct passage pointing to this theme. "Who will be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" was the question of the disciples. Answering them Jesus took a child and had him stand among them. Instead of answering their question, "who is the greatest?" Jesus was explaining to them the way to enter the Kingdom. To enter they have to become like a child. The mind of the child found in a person makes him/her great in the Kingdom.

As William Barclay explains there are many lovely characteristics in a child. The power to wonder; the power to forgive and forget, (even when adults and parents treat him unjustly as they do so often), their innocence are some of them. The lesson Jesus had in his mind was the quality of humility in the child. The greatness of one in the Kingdom is decided on the basis of the humility he/she has. Jesus taught the disciples that "if any one wants to be first, he must be very last and the servant of all" (Mk. 9:35). I remember a story I heard: Two men died and waited at the pearly gates for admission into heaven. "We've got room for only one more" Saint Peter declares. "Which one of you is more humble?" The humility of the heart of a believer is compared to a weaned child (Psalms 131). It is the humility that grants permission to enter the Kingdom of God.

Innocence of a child is another picture we find here. Paul, while writing to the believers at Corinth, teaches them that they be innocent babes as far as evil goes (1 Cor. 14:20). The worst group Jesus ever hated was the hypocrites (Matt 6). The sharing nature of a child is portrayed in John 6:1-13. The selfless love for the hungry is clearly pictured here. The boy had a packet for himself, very little to share with others. The attitude of the boy is a basic moral lesson for practical Christianity. It is possible that the training he got at home inspired him to share his food packet with others. It is at home that a child forms his/her personality. It is easy for the parents to train a child at home, particularly in the early stages of his life. Once a psychiatrist said, "Give me a child, I shall make him a thief, a doctor or a missionary. A child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right." (Pro. 20:11).

Sharing and caring are the characteristics of the Kingdom community. It is not that we enjoy what we have and let other die or live. As a child what he did was something sacrificial. It is sacrificial love that makes one a member of the Kingdom community. The boy had not much to offer, but when he was ready to share whatever he had, it became a great deed great enough to be noted in the greatest book. As some one said, there would have been one great deed fewer in history if that boy had withheld his loaves and fishes. The practicality of Christianity stands on the nature of its sharing - sharing both the spiritual and the material blessings. It was one of the major reasons for the spread of Christianity in the early century

While the characteristics of innocence, humility and the love of a child found in a Christian are appreciated, a believer is asked to keep away from the things that are childish. Paul very strongly exhorts the believers to stop thinking like children (1 Cor. 14:20). He says, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." The thought pattern of a Christian has to be mature. It is a widely accepted principle that when maturity comes, immaturity will be abolished. Human nature, apart from God, makes one spiritually childish. It is this childishness that leads to party spirit, strife and factions (1 Cor. 3:1-5).

The immaturity and childishness prevent believers from digesting the deep spiritual teachings. It is this attitude that stops believers to mover from 'easy believism' to practical Christianity. Realizing this state of the Church Paul writes, "therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance … instruction of baptisms…" (heb 6:1-3). Having learned already the basic principles concerning Christ, they were not to stop with them but go on to gain full stature and maturity, to exhibit full spiritual growth. The growth founded on the Holy faith is the mark of a matured Christian. We have to move further from the "basic doctrinal teachings" to the more practical growth.

Therefore 'Child like' character of the Kingdom of God is advised for a healthy Christian life. Our thought pattern and life styles have to be a reflection of our deep-seated spirituality. This is what will help us stand strong when the difficulties storm our Christian walk. Stop thinking and acting like a child, but crave pure spiritual milk like a new born baby. It will help us to grow up in our salvation. It will also keep us away from all malice, and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind, as they are not part of the life of a child.