Jesus had just compared the attitudes of a Pharisee and a tax collector coming to the temple. Now he compares children with his disciples and a rich man with his apostles. All three stories are "come to Jesus" stories. All three stories seem to go against conventional wisdom.
A follower that does not have the faith and pure heart of a child will not make it into the arms of Jesus. A follower who holds more tightly to this life than the next will not make it into the arms of Jesus. The Pharisee, disciples and rich man all seemed honorable and religious. Yet none of them made it to Jesus. Only the tax collector, little children and poor apostles connected with him when they came.
These stories are a wake up call to look at the heart and ignore the external trappings. Education, profession, age and wealth are not indicators of spirituality. Yet in a world where we are trained to pour time, money and attention into the superficiality of life, it is hard to not follow the same pattern in the spiritual realm.
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