Let The Little Children Come
Or
Little Children-Like Mentality
Sunday April 10, 2022
Scripture To Consider:
“Then they brought little children to Jesus, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for as such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’”
“And Jesus took them [the little children] in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.” Mark 10.13-16
Something To Consider:
It was a natural event for mothers to take their young children to the Rabbi teachers to be blessed. We will give the disciples the benefit of the doubt, for it was possible they were merely concerned for Jesus’ mental well being. They knew that the thought of His visiting Jerusalem could conjure up all kinds of human emotions because of the threats of death upon His life by the religious ruling leaders.
Therefore, as mothers were bringing little children to Jesus, His disciples took it upon themselves to rebuke those who brought them. “But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased.” His being displeased should be an important lesson of a lifetime for every spiritual leader and or leader in training. For children have always held a special place in the heart and mind of Jesus and always will.
The writer of Psalm127 declared, “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” And yet, to hear some parents speak, they cannot wait for their children to grow up and move out. It is as if children have become a burden rather than a blessing! And if so, how shameful of us as a 21st century generation.
Something Else To Consider:
The words of Jesus should reside in the forefront of every Christian leader’s mindset and spiritual agenda. For according to Jesus, “Let the little children come to Me.” The untrue notion that children are insignificant cannot be traced back to Jesus, for there is much for any adult to learn from little children. The first thing we are to learn from little children was spoken by Jesus Himself, when He said; “And do not forbid them [little children]; for of such is the kingdom of God.”
In Matthew 18, Jesus spoke of the humility of little children and our need to imitate them in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. He also said in Matthew 18.3, “Unless you are converted [born again] and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” As adults, let us learn to be like little children.
A favorite verse of loving parents is found in Proverbs 22.6, which states; “Train up a child in the way he [or she] should go, and when he [or she] is old he [they] will not depart from it.” The same is true of adults who willingly become as children when coming to the Lord at whatever age. They too must be trained in the ways of the Lord Jesus, who is the Word of God come in the flesh to the earth.
In other words, “Let the little children come unto Me.” And we might rightfully add; let all those with a little child-like mentality, come unto Jesus, who is the Word of God. For according to Jesus, “For of such is the kingdom of God.”
Something More To Consider:
Young and old alike are to possess little children-like mentalities such as humility and obedience. Children for the most part are of a humble nature until taught otherwise by the actions of others, mainly adults. Little children are naturally trusting; a spiritual character trait that is pleasing to God.
Little children also have much shorter memories than their older and more callous counterparts when it comes to being offended, or emotionally taken advantage of. And so, according to Jesus we are to let the little children come unto Him.
And by allowing the little children to come to Jesus, we are actually taught by them how we are to enter the kingdom of God. In doing so we are doing ourselves and others an eternal favor by our obtaining a little child-like mentality. The choice is so very clear. Let the little children come unto Jesus!
My first teaching assignment over four decades ago, was teaching children. As a miraculously healed addict of many vices, God plunged me into children’s church ministry. At the age of twenty-five, I could hardly read a paragraph and be able to explain what I had read or what it meant.
All through high school I was passed from grade to grade because I was good at various sports. Until the age of twenty-five, I had never read an entire book. Therefore, my involvement in teaching children, sometimes over a hundred at a time, was God’s wise means of educating me to the instruction of the Word of God. As I taught, I also learned!
A Few Final Words:
Let us never despise teaching children in the admonition of the Lord. My first two decades of Christian life were wonderfully spent educating children in the ways of the Word of God, and I do not regret a single lesson planned. This God-ordained method of letting the little children come to Jesus, and letting them learn of Him, proved to be His way of laying a firm biblical foundation in not only the young and impressionable lives of children, but thank the Lord, in my life as well.
Letting little children come unto Jesus is a clear and powerful picture of the little child-like mentality required to enter God’s kingdom. Let us never not allow the little children to come to Jesus. For according to Jesus, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, teach us to be as children whenever appropriate. Help us to humbly and obediently trust You with our eternal lives. Give us the inner desire to always be found coming unto Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 