Jesus says, “Thank you Father, Lord of [all], that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes. (infants).” Matt. 11:25  What is this passage really saying to us, here in affluent 21st Century America?

Who are the ‘wise and prudent’?  They are the well-educated and disciplined, the intelligent and self-controlled, the properly trained, socially acceptable, law-abiding.  Just the kind of people the world wants to know.  Jesus says, “Thank you Father, that You wanted to hide the truth about You from those people.  I’m glad; I agree with you!” (Tex’s paraphrase)

And then He says: “revealed them to babes.”  Just the opposite.  How unwise and un-prudent can you get?  Babes not only haven’t learned.  They’re totally untrained, totally helpless, totally undisciplined, totally uncontrolled, totally undeserving, totally unable to figure out what’s going on.  And God, the Father, with Jesus, the Son applauding, revealed these things to people who don’t know how to row; they can’t even find the boat.  Maybe, probably, ‘babes’ includes people who are poor, people who don’t quite get it; don’t quite have it; mentally or emotionally, psychologically or socially.

The best part is ‘revealed‘.  God didn’t make ’em go to college; take a pilgrimage, or fast or pray, or beg for mercy.  He just revealed it to them.  Why?  Because He was looking at their hearts, and He knew they’d be genuinely glad to receive the truth and the light and the miracles of Jesus.  He knew they’d respond by trusting Him to take care of them.  He knew they were the ‘fertile ground’ that was waiting to receive the seed of His truth.  Hallelu Jah!

And then Jesus says, “No one knows Me except the Father, and no one know the Father except Me, and those to whom I choose to reveal Him.” Jesus chose to reveal God (by instant transmission, a flash of Light) to those babes.  Guess the best we can hope for is to be one of the babes.  I’m afraid I don’t know how to act like a babe, much less be one.  I can only hope Jesus will reveal Himself to me, in spite of myself.

You know what’s so great about revelation?  You don’t have to work at it.  It just sorta comes to you.  Usually when you’re not even looking; not even expecting it.  Babes get revelation (from Jesus).  How do you get it?  You “humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10