It is probably the most profound verse of the Bible.

“Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Different translations word it differently, but the basic statement from Jesus instructs His followers to allow children to approach Him.

It is easy to miss the importance of this simple statement.

Most important is the closing part of the statement – “for, of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Childhood is a universal experience, and part of that experience is the transition from the innocence of a child to the doubting status of adulthood. As adults, we have learned to require proof. We have learned to dismiss concepts that we are unable to confirm with logic.

As children, we are unhampered by those doubts. The same innocence that allows children to believe in human-generated fantasies such as Santa Claus, makes children capable of accepting the concepts of Christianity without challenge.

Unfortunately, the same process of learning to doubt fantasies becomes attached to faith beliefs for similar reasons. Without logical evidence, belief suffers.

But logic can also come to the rescue.

While our adult logic can be a barrier to faith, it can also give us a clue to a reality that we have lost our ability to experience. Children, in their early years, seem to be capable of experiencing connections with what we might term the “other side.” Invisible playmates and conversations with imaginary friends are common.

As adults, most of us have lost that ability. What’s the reason?

Children, especially in their early years, have not yet learned to doubt. They have not learned to subject their experiences to a reality test. They are likely to accept their encounters at face value. Over time, children learn to doubt based on their everyday interactions with the adults in their lives.

As adults, most of us have lost the ability to sense messages from the other side. Most of us have developed mental calluses that prevent us from using our hidden and underused senses.

The consequence is that, when it comes to our faith, we adults are handicapped. We have lost the innocence that allows us to accept what we cannot experience with our other senses. We have to work at it by employing our tools of logic to understand and accept what comes naturally to young children.

We need to flip an old expression – “seeing is believing.” Our goal, the key to connecting with that Higher Power, is to embrace the flip of that expression and understand that “believing is seeing.”

Such is the kingdom of heaven.