Recently, I’ve been thinking of Christmas. It started when my friend Bob pondered what is meant by “You shall not receive the kingdom of God unless you receive it as a child.” A “be childlike” reading of this passage focuses on how we must behave to receive the gift of the realm of God. Such a reading asks us to set aside our doubt, forget our guile, and be just like a child, open to new things.

Of course, we know that children can be very open to new things, unless the new things happen to be Brussels sprouts, blue cheese, turnip, spinach, or any number of other foods. They sit there with their mouth firmly shut on the spoon. I can’t blame them. I’m 73 and I still can’t choke down a tuna fish sandwich.

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Still, some of us who are not so innocent, hearing that perspective, may even feel predestined to be left outside, at the door of an exclusive club for tuna fish sandwich eaters. After all, it is a........

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