Adults who are considering the Christian faith for the first time might have a problem understanding this verse because they would have had life experiences that could take them away from the ability to think as innocent children. 

Now Jesus does not ask us to put aside our life experiences, but he does require off us to have a change of attitude: 

Here are a few things that we need to shift in our mindset to become more child-like; 

• adult, self-sufficiency must recognize its need for the sovereign God; 
• adult moral defensiveness must humble itself before the Holy God; 
• adult skeptical toughness must soften before the loving God.

Self Sufficiency

Here are some of the things that we do as we grow in age and experience; 

1. Trying to do things ourselves – because we are grown up and know better.
2. Trying to rely on our talents and gifts – because we have earned it.
3. Trying to do things without thinking of other ways – because my ways are always right.

With this kind of mindset, we could reach a stage where we think we can handle everything and don’t necessarily need GOD.

What God wants is for us to realize our need for a sovereign God. That by own strength we can do nothing, but when He is present, we can be more relaxed as a little child.

A child under the parents’ guidance would know when they are in trouble that there is someone to get him out of it. 

For example, when kids need to go to the toilet, they ask their parents for help but, what we do is we think we can handle it on our own and don’t need the guidance, and so we end up pissing in our pants.

Coming to Jesus means accepting His goodness, confessing your need of Him, and committing your life to His tender guidance. 

Moral defensiveness 

We usually don’t like it when people talk against us. We can be proud of our skills and abilities that it becomes our wall of protection and defense, and when someone starts to knock on that wall, we begin to get defensive. 

We must humble ourselves before the Holy God. This means is that we are to come empty before God to set aside our skills and abilities and come naked as we are. 

When we get less defensive, we may be able to deal with our issues better.

For example, when you shout at a child, they don’t get very defensive soon; they don’t immediately tell you that whatever you are doing is wrong, and they don’t give you 200 reasons why their actions are right. 

But children might be scared and would sometimes hide because they realize that their parents are bigger and that they and would know the right thing to do. 

Adult toughness 

How many times do we try to be this strong person? We stand our ground and say no, we won’t listen to anything and anyone – my word is final? When God’s word is final.

It must be noted thou that this kind of toughness may come as a result of experiences based on what life had done to you, but it becomes a problem when we use that same toughness before God and the believers around us. 

God calls us to soften and breakdown before Him. 

Kids are the best example; they don’t have that toughness; they are soft and rely on their parents. 

Conclusion

One thing for certain is that God wants to be a resource and a provider for all His children. 

God does not say I want you to be a Pastor or a theologian or an astronaut or a politician; He simply asks us to be a child. 

Have a heart like a child.