Jesus Loves the Little Children
by Kent Heaton
via Biblical Insight, Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2014
There are many scenes in which Jesus Christ is the imminent teacher of multitudes, advisor to noblemen, powerful Creator calming a storm, or the great physician healing and raising the dead. His wrath and fury are felt with a whip of cords driving the moneychangers out of the temple or sermons of wrath against the scribes and Pharisees. He is the suffering Lamb on Calvary, dying for the sins of the world, rising on the third day to be King of kings and Lord of lords. On a few occasions recorded in the Holy Writ, Jesus, the Son of God, took time for children.
Following a controversial lecture on marriage, “Little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ And He laid His hands on them and departed from there” (Matthew 19:13-15). Luke tells us these children were infants or babes. The short ministry of Jesus was filled with teaching, training, miracles, journeys, conflict with Jewish leaders, more teaching, training, and miracles, and yet Jesus took time for young children. What a powerful scene in the life of Jesus Christ.
When the children were first brought to Jesus, the disciples felt this would bother the Lord. Did they consider this act of compassion beneath the character of their teacher? Why would the disciples decide that Jesus did not have time to fret about young children? The text tells us they rebuked the ones who brought the children to the dismay of the Lord. Jesus rebuked the disciples and instructed them not to forbid them.
Often, we want children to be seen and not heard. Like the disciples, we decide they would be more of a bother to the cause of Christ than help. Little children must be brought to Jesus and shown how much He cares for them. They are examples of the character that God’s children are to be. Children must be taught to be reverent and enjoy a time of worship. This begins in the home by showing the children the story of God and the Son of God and the majesty of the word of God. Paul commended Timothy for his faith, referring to his childhood as a basis for his devotion to God. “From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 3:15).
Our young people are not the church of tomorrow but the church of today. We must encourage them to show others the meaning of trusting in Jesus and to let their lives be filled with the image of God. Young children need to be taught the Bible stories. They can memorize multitudes of verses and songs, and so often, from the mouths of babes, we learn truths we have forgotten. “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength” (Psalms 8:2). Bring the children to Jesus because He has time for them.
Jesus Welcomes the Children Luke 18:15-17
In His rebuke to the disciples, He reminds them the heart of a disciple is that of a child. Matthew writes, “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:1-4). The Master Teacher used a powerful example to bring His point home. The disciples worried about who was going to receive the most important position in the “kingdom” and argued about greatness. Take a moment to visualize the lesson. Jesus looks around, sees a little child, and asks the child to come. The child approaches the Lord, and He lifts him up and sets before the grown adults their object lesson. They may not have understood what He was doing, but He did.
Jesus loves children because they represent the true nature of His disciples. They do not argue about greatness nor fret about positions of grandeur. The humble character of a child will bring trust, faithfulness, purity, and all those characteristics that hinder adults from trusting God. Children believe with unmerited devotion. Paul explained this kind of humility in Philippians 2:1-11. The humble character of young children tempers our attitudes and feelings toward others. Jesus loves children, and so should we. And we must always put them in our midst to remind us of the lessons from Jesus.
