Let the Children Come

(Mark 10:13-16)

Too often as adults we exclude children. The old saying that children should be sen and not heard is still often applied by many people. In public places and in churches they are told to be still, keep quiet and stop being disruptive.

But they are kids! By nature they are boisterous, undisciplined and disruptive. And lets face, you wouldn’t want it any other way for when they are playing and laughing and having a good time, they can really cheer your heart.

The people in this section of the scripture were bringing their children to Jesus that he might touch them. The disciples were obviously annoyed for they rebuked the people. You can just imaging their thoughts. After all this is the Son of God…surely he doesn’t want to be bothered and annoyed by children.

Not so. Jesus, when he saw what the disciples were doing was indignant and he said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them.” Jesus had no problem with the children coming to him. And why would he? The children were his children too!

Instead he took the opportunity to teach the people, including his disciples, a lesson. He said, “…for to such belongs the Kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Verse 14-15)

If we are to enter God’s Kingdom we must become like children. We must be innocent and open to learn. We must trust in Jesus and have the faith of a child in their parent.

It is as adults that we learn pride and arrogance. It is as adults that we become untrusting and hard of heart. It is as adults that we are faithless, harsh to others and cynical. These are not the attributes of children and so we must learn or re-learn those things from our children.

Don’t ever exclude the children. They learn from us and we can learn from them. We can learn to remember what the requirements are for entry into God’s Kingdom, as Jesus showed us here.

(Picture sourced from https://clipart.christiansunite.com/)