In which I wonder about having faith like a child

When I used to ask hard questions about my faith (okay, so I still do that), people would try to answer me. They'd give me their carefully pithy answers memorized from the apologetics textbook or send me an article from their favourite preacher.

And when all else failed, when they were unable to satisfy me on why suffering and evil existed or why a baby died or why Christians on our side were justified in war or whatever, they'd say, "Well, you know, we need to have faith like a child."

Pat, pat, pat right on the head. Patronise, patronise, patronise right on the soul.

Just stop wondering. Just stop wrestling because you aren't supposed to be a grown-up in the kingdom, darling, you're supposed to be like a child and just accept and stop asking questions.

To which I now respectfully ask: I'm sorry but have you ever HAD a child? Or been around a child for any amount of time?

Because let me tell you, KIDS ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 

My tinies ask me "why?" about a dozen times an hour. They want to know where the Eiffel Tower is and why it's there and why don't my friends go to church and why can't I marry daddy and what time is it in China and what colours make pink and do you want to hear this song I just made up and why does this bug tickle me and on and on and ON.

There is a natural curiosity that is inherent to children.

I think it's a bit dishonest to use "Have faith like a child" as a way to shut a person down.  Like somehow it means we're not supposed to wonder, we're just supposed to accept without questions. And now that I have a houseful of small humanity, I think I'm beginning to  understand a bit more why Jesus would encourage us to have faith like a child.  

They don't know. And so they ask.

We don't know. And so we ask.

The asking isn't wrong. The wondering isn't wrong. The doubt isn't wrong. It's humbling to admit you don't know, it takes guts to ask and wrestle.

But here is the key of a child, the true wonder of child-like faith: They truly want to know. They're not asking to be cool or to piss off the establishment or to prove anyone wrong or to grind an ax or in anger.  They are asking because they are looking for an answer.

So then I'm back looking in the mirror anyway. Am I asking because I truly want to know? And if I eventually find an answer or two, am I willing to say, "Okay, I believe it" and it's settled now in my heart?

I'm not quite sure I've landed somewhere good here. What do you think it means to have faith like a child? Is it something that you find helpful to hear and remember or patronising? How do you think it lives out?