Comment: Children become friends easily, quarrel too quickly, but become friends again, almost immediately. They quickly forget the wrong they may have done each other.   They bear each other no grudge. In their innocence and simplicity, children are very meek and pliable. They are like sheep ready to be led by the shepherd. Apostle Paul, in today’s text, wants us to acquire this simplicity.

On the other hand, children do not possess minds capable of critical thinking with which to meet the challenges of life. Their small minds are incapable of taking hard decisions. Such profound capacity belongs to men. Apostle Paul wants us to possess the character of men. Hence, he admonished, “but in understanding be men”.

Keeping malice is a character of people who have not known God. When those who know God engage in it they are regarded as having no understanding. As worshippers of God, we should shun malice and any evil that would make us unworthy of the call of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17. I Thessalonians 5:22). We should, like children, be forgiving and be quick to reconcile our differences, so that we would continue to maintain our good standing with God through close fellowship among ourselves. – Psalm 133:1

However, whereas children do not possess the ability to “prove all things…” (I Thessalonians 5:21), thereby falling easy prey to evil-minded people, we who are adults must be circumspect, and not be “carried about with every wind of doctrine” – Ephesians 4:14; 5:15-17.