Readings for today: Exodus 13-15, Matthew 19:1-15
“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.” (Matthew 19:13-15)
There’s something special about children. Especially little children. No matter where you go in the world, you find little children playing. Laughing. Dancing. Exploring. They have an almost insatiable curiosity. An irrepressible joy. An unshakeable faith and trust. They see the world through rose-colored glasses. They endure hardships that would break an older person. They bounce back from grief and loss. They are tremendously resilient.
I’ve played games with children as they received chemotherapy. I’ve drawn pictures in the dust with children living in life-threatening poverty. I’ve held children as they watched a love one pass from this world. I’ve taken walks with children, making sure to smell every flower and touch every tree along the way. I’ve played all sorts of games with children at Vacation Bible School. I’ve taken hikes with children and watched in amazement at how they persevered when their little legs got tired to make it to the end. I’ve spoken to many children over the years about the love of God and seen their eyes light up. It’s a beautiful thing.
Jesus has a special place in His heart for little children. When He gets bum rushed by a bunch of kids in the passage we read today, the disciples try to shoo them away. Perhaps they thought Jesus had more important things to do. Perhaps they believed the children were just a nuisance. Perhaps they were just tired and irritated and didn’t have time for them. I know I’ve felt all these feelings and more over the course of my life. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in me and my stuff that I lose sight of the miracle of spending time with a little child and seeing the world through their eyes.
Jesus says the kingdom of heaven belongs to little children. Why is that? I think it has to do with how they see their world. Full of wonder and beauty. New adventures around every corner. An imagination running wild with all the possibilities of each new day. They do not worry about tomorrow. They do not carry the burdens we adults like to bear. They do not stress over things they do not have. They simply find ways to make the most out of each moment of each day. Faith comes easy to them. Trust seems natural. And God is very present with them and among them.
Have you ever taken time to think back to your own childhood? Years ago, I was challenged to do an exercise where I broke my life down into five year increments and wrote down what I could remember. I filled page after page of memories. Not all of them were positive of course. Our lives are full of suffering and pain. Even as children we experience these things though we may not always understand the impact until much later in life. But there were many precious memories as well. Riding in the combine with my grandfather. Jumping on the trampoline with my cousins. Sleepovers out on the screened-in porch with friends. Pickup baseball at the empty lot next door. Saying prayers to a God I did not know but in whom I believed even from a very young age. It was a wonderful exercise that reminded me yet again of the value of the simple things in life. Finding joy in the ordinary and everyday. Rest from all the stress of striving. This, friends, is the kingdom of heaven and it belongs to those who come to Jesus like little children.
Readings for tomorrow: None