Little children met Jesus. If you had to find someone to put in charge of a kingdom, someone to govern and make wise decisions, would you choose a little child? Not likely. Little children contribute many wonderful things to the world. But when it comes to leading and governing, we usually look to people who are wise and ­experienced.

Jesus, however, welcomed little children when his disciples tried to shoo them away. He even said that the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like them.

Jesus does not give his kingdom to people who think they are self-sufficient, people who act as if they are in control of their lives. The kingdom of God—the kingdom that Jesus came to bring—is not for people who think they have all the answers. The kingdom of God is for people who know that they depend on God for everything—like little children, who are totally dependent on their parents and others.

So many of us like the idea of being independent, taking care of ourselves, and making decisions for ourselves. But Jesus encourages the opposite: instead of striving to be independent, strive to be dependent on God. Ask God for everything you need, and seek to follow God’s will for your life, and you will enjoy full life in his kingdom.