Jesus Valued Children
Matthew 19:13-15 ESV
13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.
Children were not considered important in the culture that Jesus walked in. If the children had been valued, then the disciples would not have tried to turn them away. I can only imagine how people would react today if little children were brought for Joy and me to lay hands on them and pray for them, and the staff turned them away. I am thinking it would add a major disruption to child dedication.
But on that day, we do not see the parents of the children incensed that their child was rebuked or that they were rebuked. The Scriptures are not clear on who exactly was rebuked by the disciples, but in any case, the disciples were not letting the kids come to Jesus. Yet we don’t see the parents reacting. The cultural norm may have been that children should not be taking up the time of important people, and Jesus was important. I do know that in some of the cultures that my son Matt has gone to build playgrounds, the children ate last. The men would sit down to eat, and then the women, and last of all the kids. I know it shocked Matt. We live in a culture thatvalues children.
When Jesus stopped His disciples from hindering the children once again, Jesus was setting a new standard for human valuation. It was Jesus who treated women of that day with dignity and respect. His conduct toward women was vastly different than other religious leaders. And now Jesus is sending a message that children have value. And even more, Jesus said that the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these children.
What did Jesus mean by that? I don’t know everything He meant, but I do know there are some wonderful Kingdom qualities in children. Children are quick to believe; they are not skeptical. Children are quick to love and quick to forgive. Little children, especially, are free from malice and scheming. Little children are accepting of others without being conscious of rank or position. Little ones are alive to God and precious to Him.
Jesus recognized the value of children, and so should we. We, as a church, focus on reaching the children and place great value on their experience at church. We want more than anything for them to realize God is good and Jesus loves every one of them. We believe the seeds we plant in the children today will bear fruit in the future. And we will do everything we can to let them come to Jesus.
Prayer
Lord help me recognize the childlike qualities that are valuable in the Kingdom of God. Thank You for enabling us to reach the children and bring them to You.