Using Matthew 18 as a touch point for discussion of the inner child is what we call using a "spiritual sense" of Scripture.

It's fascinating to me that Jesus emphasized His teaching in 18 and part of 19 by placing children before Him (remember that chapter and verse numbers were not in the original writings, but added for our convenience).

Like flesh and blood parables, children bookend His teaching on boundaries, and we learn that not only are healthy boundaries necessary to faith in dealing with one another in the family of God, but they're also necessary in human and faith development, too. 

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Our next Monthly Meetup Bible study in John is January 22 at 6:30 PM CST! You coming?

LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja’s method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.  
L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)


 
O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.)
Does learning something about the Stages of Faith development help to ease their inherent tension? What do you want to say to the Holy Spirit about that?
V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)
Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin.
E | Entrust (Rest in the Word.)
Dearest Jesus, my love, in the words of little Therese, "For me to become great is impossible." Help me bear with myself and my many imperfections as I seek to follow her means of getting to heaven by a little way--very short and very straight, The Little Way of the Child. Amen +
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What We Discussed | Show Notes
Overview:
Minutes 00:00-12:00 – holiday review, psychological/mythological idea that the way to full maturity is to recover childhood, shadow parts
Minutes 12:01-24:00 – procedural memory in the brain, "the saints were crazy," two senses of scripture and subdivisions
Minutes 24:01-36:00 – hierarchy vs. relationships, characteristics of children
Minutes 36:01-48:00 – stages of faith, "fasting" from destructive relationships, detachment
Transcript
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