JESUS LOVES KIDS!

 

Friday, December 13, 2024

 

JESUS LOVES KIDS!

 

Mark 10:13-14

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

 

          It was customary for parents to bring their children to the rabbis for a blessing but evidently the disciples thought they were protecting Jesus’ time and energy by keeping them away. The idea of Jesus being “much displeased” with this is much stronger in the original language. You can see his brow furrow and his lips grow thin as he tells them to permit the children to come.

 

          He took them up in his arms! The angry brow softened, and the smile returned and broadened as he held the children. Children are simple and honest. They do not hide their true selves, and I think Jesus liked it that way. In fact, Jesus said that everyone should come in this open-faced way.

 

          Children enjoy life! Almost anything can suddenly become a toy including something valuable and breakable. How sad that we gradually lose that ability to imagine and enjoy.

 

After seeing Jesus use a child as an illustration of how to come to Him, we could reverse Spurgeon's statement and say, "An adult, if properly instructed, can as truly believe and be regenerated as a child."

 

Dear Lord, thank you for loving children! Help me to love them too and to pay attention to them for in so doing wisdom can be gained in simplicity. AMEN