Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

.... You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger (Psalm 8:2). Jesus quotes the first part of this verse as “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise” (Matthew 21:16), He is quoting from the Septuagint the accepted Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. I am told that the Hebrew word translated here as strength clearly means homage where is it also translated strength in Psalm 29:1.  The thought seems to be that in the simple innocence and wonder of a little child lies true worship.  One of the problems we seem to have as adults, is that we have by and large lost our sense of wonder. How many of  us can truly sing with sincerity that with the hymn writer we are “lost in wonder love and praise?”

The general sense of how this connects with silencing the enemies of God,  is brought out in the above passage  from Matthew.  It was holy week, Jesus was doing miracles in the temple and the children  were crying out “Hosanna to the Son of David, and His enemies the  chief priests and scribes were objecting. And Jesus was saying that no, the children were getting it right. You get the impression they were silenced, speechless (Matthew 21:14-17).  What could they say?  Related to all of this is Jesus statement “Amen, Amen I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2).  The Scribes and the Pharisees in their power, wisdom, knowledge and learning were excluded, but persons comparatively ignorant and foolish, weak and contemptible, but nevertheless simple, humble, and teachable, these are those who enter!

I don't want to be misunderstood here, I am not saying we should not be engaged in our world to work for change where it is needed. Nor am I saying that we should not vote in elections, or that Christians should not be involved in politics. We need Christians of every stripe in Government. But too often the church has become political, and at times the church has been identified with one or another political party.  We need Christians on all sides of the divide so that we do not get stuck in rigidity on the one hand, nor that we should be so progressive that we throw the baby out with the bath water on the other.  We are to be as wise as serpents,  and as harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).  If we are to have Kingdom influence in the Word,  we need to become and  remain humble and teachable.We need to be quick to hear and slow to wrath, we need to become and remain, well not childish,  but childlike with the above characteristics.

Father, none of this is easy Lord. You tell us to be in the word, but not of the World, and Father we do not know what that looks like! It seems Father that You are giving the Western World over to its godlessness. Will we be like the early church without political influence,  but having an influence that turned the world upside down? The underground church in China seems to have a lot more influence than the institutional Church here.  Lord please help us to be faithful in whatever changes You either allow,  or orchestrate. And Lord please keep us childlike in Jesus Name Amen