"You arent a child", a young girl explained to her older brother. He appeared to be a maturing 13 year old and was happily wearing a Burger King Crown on his head.
Jesus said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
My definition of the Kingdom of Heaven is this: The safe, merciful, and loving proverbial lands of pure unconditional love. A land (a mental, emotional, and spiritual reality) where harsh judgment, guilt, and condemnation do not exist. In this kingdom, only thoughts, emotions, and beings of peace, kindness, and compassion reside. Worry is an irrational concept here. Peace is the ruling emotion, and Love is the name on the banner under which we gladly live. Love is the reigning authority, and loving one another is the only law.
Why must we be like a child to experience the kingdom of heaven in our mind, emotions, and our spirit?
Because, typically, children love better than adults do. They are better at forgiving, more easily content, at peace, and experience joy more easily. Children worry less, and for shorter durations. Children have a larger capacity to love without conditions. Children have less fear and more trust. Children dont have doctrines, laws, and sterotypes with which to filter their judgments when they encoutner other people. Children dont yet have programmed negative self-talk or prejudice. The minds and emotions of children are closer to love. As humans grow older, most of us grow closer to fear. A trajectory that requires our awareness, and a 180 degree turn around (aka, change of our thoughts and perceptions).
We can become more like a child when we start applying the basic teachings of Jesus. I guess Sunday school was all we needed after all: Just love. Love everyone, even enemies. Dont fear. Forgive everyone, and all things. Dont worry, know that God takes care of you, and uses everything for good. Trust Him, be patient, and keep loving.
You will become more like a child, and begin easily residing in the Kingdom of Love when you start following the Spirit of Love that was given to you more than you follow the doctrines of the mind. When you let the Spirit of Truth speak to you, even if it seems to contradict your current rational and cultural belief(s), you will begin to ascend beyond the mental realms and into the spirit realms. You dont need more doctrine, or revelation of scripture. You need more love. Without more love all doctrine and knowledge is only a hindrance.
Make room for love. Make straight the paths, level out the roadways (neural pathways). This means, start removing the proverbial boulders of judgments, fears, and anxieties. Fill in the ruts of unprocessed and unforgiven traumas. Make amends in your heart to those you have wronged in the past, and those who have wronged you. Accept the sorrows, losses, and trials you have faced, and be thankful for them. View life the way the Spirit does. Start making these steps, just one at a time, and you will be making room for Love to enter. This is the process of "seeking the kingdom". When you seek to forgive, to stop worrying, to be less fearful, and pursue love, this is pursuing the Kingdom. When you do these things, and make them your priorities, everything else that you need (emotionally, mentally, physically) will be brought (provided) to you.
Be like a child again. Return to love. Return to thoughts, emotions, and actions of love, and soon you will find that you have rediscovered yourself. Put on your crown and remember that you are just a child of love, who came from the God who is Love. Think, feel, and act according to the laws of love and you will find your inner being (mind and emotions) residing in the Kingdom of Love.
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