Let them Come!

Mark 10:13-16

Do you like little children?  I so enjoy watching small children interact with their dad, and it tells so much about the man.  But small children have no understanding of your schedule, how important you believe you are or even the need to be quiet in worship.  And often people my age think they should be seen but not heard, or be put in a nursery where they are not seen or heard.  But is that what Jesus thought or taught?  If you are of the persuasion that those little children are best not seen or heard, you could have hung out with the disciples of Jesus Christ and been very comfortable with that opinion.

My hope is you are open to Jesus’ teaching on this significant matter, for it is the only time in Scripture that Jesus is referred to as indignant.  Now if you look up the word indignant, it has this meaning, intense anger and it was directed at His disciples for not allowing the little children to come to him.  The disciples looked at them as a bother, but that is far from the way Jesus perceived children.

We will continue the account in Mark 10:13-16,  ^“And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”

It amazing to watch little children, they do some cute things, and they can be sweet and open, and they are often shy and reserved.  We so enjoy the ones that are sweet and proper and wonder about those whose parents allow them to scream when they do not get what they want.

But a child is open to receiving love and gifts with no thought of I am entitled, they just take it and rejoice, and that is how one should receive the kingdom of God.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice