The Surprising Greatness of Childlike Humility

Advent is a season of waiting. Kids count down the days to Christmas. We watch the weather and quietly wish for snow. We smell cookies baking and wait for the moment we finally get to enjoy one.

That kind of hope is real: you are waiting for something good that you cannot see yet.
But Christian hope goes deeper than gifts, snow, or special meals. It is the hope that Someone strong enough will step in to forgive, to restore, and to make the world whole again. Advent tells us that Someone is Jesus—and that He has come, and will come again.

The surprising truth Jesus teaches in Matthew 18:1–4 is this:
Hope does not belong to the “strongest” people. It belongs to the humble—those who come to Him like children.

In Matthew 18, the disciples come to Jesus with a very adult question:

“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1)

They are thinking in terms of status, strength, and importance. Jesus answers their question in a way no one expects. He calls a child to Himself, places the child in the middle of the group, and says:

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4)

Children understand something adults often forget: they need help.
A baby cannot feed himself. A young child cannot drive to the store or pay for groceries. Even older kids did not fund and cook Thanksgiving dinner on their own. Children live every day with a simple, honest awareness: I can’t do everything. I need someone stronger to help me.

That is humility. And Jesus says that is what greatness in His kingdom looks like.

Most adults are not comfortable with the words “I can’t.” We are trained to be independent, to solve problems alone, to prove ourselves competent. We equate worth with what we can accomplish.

Kids, on the other hand, are “masters of being needy.” When they are hungry, scared, or overwhelmed, they reach out to someone they trust—a parent, a teacher, a caregiver. They know they cannot meet all their own needs, and they are not ashamed to say so.

Jesus puts a child in front of His disciples to remind them—and us—that the doorway into the kingdom is not achievement but dependence. Unless we “turn and become like children” (Matthew 18:3), we cannot even enter. Hope begins with admitting, I cannot save myself. I cannot fix my own heart. I cannot heal the world.

To help us see what this childlike humility looks like in real life, we look at Mary in Luke 1:26–38.

The angel Gabriel comes to Mary with stunning news: she will bear a son, and He will be called Jesus—the Son of the Most High, the One whose kingdom will never end. It is an announcement of hope for the whole world.

Mary has a very reasonable question:

“How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)

In simple terms, she is saying, “This is impossible. My body cannot do what you are describing.” Even if she deeply desired a child, she knew she could not make this happen.

The angel replies with the core truth of Christian hope:

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

God can do what is humanly impossible. He can bring life where there should be none. He can bring His kingdom into a world that cannot repair itself.

Mary could have responded like many adults might: cautious, skeptical, half-committed, ready to try to “help God out” with her own plans. Instead, she responds like a trusting child:

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Mary openly admits her limits and rests her hope in God’s power and God’s plan. That is humility. That is childlike faith. That is where hope lives.

Jesus does not only say, “Become like children.” In Matthew 18:5, He adds:

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”

We are called not just to admire childlike humility, but to welcome it—in our kids, in new believers, and in our own hearts.

At Mercy Village, we talk about how it is “neat and tidy in the cemetery, but messy in the nursery.” Growth is never spotless. As God brings new believers to life and as children learn to follow Jesus, there will be questions, mistakes, and mess. A humble church does not hide from that. It makes room for it.

• We welcome children in our worship and life together, believing Jesus wants them near.
• We welcome new believers, not expecting instant maturity, but trusting that “he who began a good work” will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6).
• We embrace humility by looking to Jesus, who “emptied himself” and “humbled himself… to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5–8).

Advent is not about us proving how spiritual or put-together we are. It is about coming needy to the One who humbled Himself for us.

Here are some concrete ways to live this out:

1. Ask Jesus for Help First
When worry rises—about family, finances, health, or the holidays—pause before you jump to fix it. Pray first. “Jesus, I cannot carry this on my own. Help me.”

2. Pray “Your Will Be Done” in Real Places
Do not leave “Your kingdom come, Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10) as church language. Bring it into your actual decisions, fears, and relationships. “Lord, Your kingdom come in my home… in this hard relationship… in this season.”

3. Make Room for Slow, Messy Growth
Be patient with children and new believers. Expect questions and missteps. Encourage sincere faith more than polished performance. Trust that God finishes what He starts.

4. Admit Your Neediness
Let your prayers be honest. Confess sin quickly. Ask others to pray with you. Let your church family help carry your burdens. Hope grows where humility opens the door.