Why Does Jesus Tell Us to Have Childlike Faith?

Jesus said something beautifully simple, yet deeply profound: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3, ESV)

We often hear this verse and immediately think of a child’s trust—the way kids look up to their parents without question, their wide-eyed belief that all will be okay. And yes, trust is a huge part of childlike faith. But there’s another layer to this that we don’t talk about enough.

Children are some of the most curious, inquisitive beings on earth. Spend five minutes with a toddler and you’ll be asked why a hundred times. Why is the sky blue? Why do birds fly? Why do we have to wait? Why did God make mosquitoes?

Children question everything—not because they doubt, but because they want to know. They long to understand the world around them, to piece together how it all works, to explore and make sense of what they see. And Jesus said that’s what the Kingdom is like.

That means if you're someone who’s always been curious, always asking questions—about life, faith, Scripture, theology, the mysteries of God—that’s not a weakness. That’s not a sign of shallow faith. In fact, it may be one of the clearest signs of childlike faith.

We serve a God who invites questions. The Bible is full of people crying out, asking why, asking how, even challenging God—and instead of shutting them down, He draws near. Think of Job. Of David. Of the disciples. Even Jesus, in the garden, asked a question: “If there’s another way…”

God isn’t intimidated by your questions. He’s not offended by your curiosity. He delights in it, because it shows you care. You want to know Him. You’re not content with surface-level answers—you want to go deeper. That’s the kind of faith that grows roots.

So if you’ve ever felt like your inquisitive nature disqualifies you from the simple faith Jesus describes, hear this: your curiosity might be exactly what Jesus was talking about. Faith like a child doesn’t mean you never wrestle—it means you bring your wrestling to Him.

Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. Jesus promised the door will be opened.

Peace in Christ,