Self-help religion says, “If you want God’s help, you have to work for it. You have to pull up your socks to impress the Lord.” But look at the people Jesus helped and you will see that God is not like this. Jesus helped handicapped people, powerless widows, sick children, and paralyzed servants. Jesus helped dead people. God doesn’t help those who have their acts together. He helps the helpless. He helps those whose lives are a mess. Their car won’t start, their kids are sick, and they haven’t brushed their hair in a week. He helps those who ask for help. God surely wants to help everyone, but only the helpless receive his help. On one occasion people were bringing their babies to Jesus for him to bless them. Jesus said, “Unless you change and become helpless as a babe, you’ll never enter the kingdom.” Another time he said, “Whoever humbles himself like a little child will make a big splash in the kingdom.” In this world success is sold as the product of hard work and perseverance. Success is for the self-made man. But in God’s kingdom the path to greatness is the one taken by the weak [...]

Jesus said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3). What does that mean and how do you do that? “Ah Paul, that’s an easy one. He’s talking about having the faith of a child.” I know that’s what you’ve heard and it’s not a […]