As little 5-year-old Johnny scoots himself away from the dinner table he digs down deep into his trouser pocket, pulls out a crumpled ten-dollar bill, slaps it on the table, and exclaims, “Thanks Mom for the delicious meal!” 

His father looks at him quite puzzled and little Johnny, sensing his father’s confusion says, “Don’t worry Dad, I paid my portion of the monthly mortgage yesterday by direct deposit.”

That’s outrageous. These are things never heard from the lips of a child. Little children can’t comprehend the cost of maintaining a home nor do they possess the resources to contribute in any meaningful way. They simply receive daily provisions from a responsible adult.

As we continue our salvation story we read that Jesus welcomes the little children, declaring that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Turning and trusting in Jesus isn’t just for sophisticated adults. Heaven is full of little children. Not only that, Jesus goes on to say that everyone must receive the kingdom of God like a child. We contribute nothing. Luke includes this story about Jesus and the little children to show that these are the ones who will be found faithful when the Son of Man comes. These are the ones who will be saved, those who contribute nothing to their own salvation but only humbly receive.