A king of whose wisdom was so renowned that even Jesus mentions him by name (Matthew 12:42) was King Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel. Solomon was not only a king, but he was wiser than any other man, an author of 3000 proverbs, composer of 1500 songs, architect, arbitrator, administrator, botanist, zoologist, ornithologist, herpetologist, ichthyologist, philosopher, preacher, and it is this king with so many titles that can be conferred on him, that makes a very interesting statement as he begins his kingship. He exclaims that He is only a little child. (1 Kings 3:7). Hold that thought.
On Mother’s day, this year, our beloved son, Reuben (3 year old), gave my wife, Sangeetha, a precious gift that he had made in school for her. It was his little handprint (click image) with the following words.
Sometimes you get discouraged because I am so small
And always leave my fingerprints on furniture and walls.
But everyday I am growing up and I will be grown up someday,
and all those tiny handprints will surely fade away.
So … Here is a final handprint, just so you can recall,
Exactly how my fingers looked, when I was this small.
A realization of how small we are is critical in our walk with Christ. Jesus himself said, in order for anyone to enter into the kingdom of heaven, he must become (be converted as) a child and added that the one who humbles himself/herself as a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus never prevented the little children from coming to him.
I believe it is the honesty in humility that is exuberant in a child that Jesus want us to build in our character toward God and toward man. I believe that it was the honesty of Solomon’s realization that he was only a little child and the sincerity of his recognition as to how humbling it was that God had chosen him was pivotal in God exalting him to be a great king (Whosoever humbles himself as a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven).
Point(s) to ponder:
Let us realize, that if we leave our handprints on the lives of people around us, let us do so, with a heart of humility, always being cognizant of the fact that we are only little children. If God was to look at the handprints that we leave behind, will He be able to smile (as a Father) and recall how small we have been and are.
1 Kings 3:7 (KJV)
7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
Matthew 18:3-4 (KJV)
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
