October 4, 2020
The little children were being brought to Him in order that He might lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
Children and their parents knew the clear and concise message of love that Jesus brought – a love for all regardless of who the world told them they were. In first century AD, children were considered as extremely low in the social pecking order – lower even than slaves. Slaves could pull their weight around the house and work alongside the master in the family business; children were just a impediment, another mouth to feed and body to clothe with little return to show for the expense and effort necessary to maintain them.
But Jesus – Jesus loved the little children and indeed said ‘let them come! The Kingdom of God belongs to individuals like these – vulnerable, innocent, trusting, accepting! Christ lived the love He preached – even among the children. Such lack of mixed messaging made an impact on those who gathered to the point that the account made it into three of the four gospels!
Let us pray:
Eternal God, thank You for the love You have shown us through the life of Your Son. Thank You for the clear message of love and salvation intended for all the world, not just a few. Let us embrace this love, be filled with this love, and show this love unconditionally to all – no mixed messages – just pure and simple love – all in the name of Jesus! AMEN.
Preacher Woman 