What's So Important about being a Child?

Why do sons want to be like their dads? Why do daughters want to be like their moms? There is a desire, hardwired in all of us, for connection and belonging. We are born with this desire and during the early stages of life this desire manifests itself in conformity to that which we know best, our parents. 

Being a child has special perks. When I reached preadolescence, I looked back with a longing for the days when I didn't have as many chores or didn't have to go to school. I was raised in a loving home and all of my needs and most of my wants were provided for. I was loved and taken care of.

Jesus said that if a person doesn't become like a child in relation to God, that person will never be able to enter a right relationship with God. So, being a child is important in God's kingdom as well. As in a healthy home for a child on earth, being a child of God has some great perks. Here are the benefits of becoming a child of God as well as the corresponding disadvantages of not being a child of God.

6 Benefits of Being a Child of God

1. God’s children are loved but God also loves people of the world. In God's greatness, love extends to all people but, as we will see, there is a very real difference between God loving you and being in a right relationship with God.
2. God’s children know who Jesus is. People of the world refuse to acknowledge Jesus. A vast majority of thinking people in the world today admit that Jesus of Nazareth was an actual person of history but, there is a very real difference between believing that Jesus was a person of history and believing that Jesus is the savior of the world. A child of God has acknowledged Jesus as their Savior. 
3. God’s children seek to stay clean. People of the world are stained. Just like children want to be like their parents, a child of God seeks to be like their heavenly Father. This side of heaven we do not attain perfection but children of God always reach for that goal. 
4. God’s children hate and avoid sin. People of the world love and regularly practice sin. As was just mentioned, children of God are not perfect and yes, they do sin, but they hate it! People of the world continue in sin and even try to get others to join with them. 
5. God’s children have their sins covered by Jesus. People of the world continue to display their sin. Again, all people sin but children of God have their sins covered by the payment of Jesus' death on the cross. People of the world are very open and proud about their sin. 
6. God’s children are in right standing with God. People of the world do what is wrong in God’s eyes. Children of God may and do make mistakes but they never cease to be God's child. Just as a rebellious child may disappoint their parents, they will always be their offspring. 

Some may read this list and say, "Those are things you do, not benefits." However, when you enter into a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ, your tasks and benefits become one in the same. 

Two important questions: are you a child of God? Would you like to become like a child and enter into a right relationship with God? If you answered, "yes" to the first question, wonderful. If you answered, "yes" to the second question, ask God to reveal Himself to you right now and submit a comment to this blog. I would love to encourage you.