Matthew 19:13-14
Little children were being brought to [Jesus] 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.”
At a recent worship service as Pastor Doug lost his place in his sermon, a child from the back spoke up: “Are you all right, Pastor Doug?” How special it was. This child of God verbalized what some of the adults were thinking! What a gift he is to our congregation.
In a different church one Sunday, we were singing, “Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory; blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire…” There is such joy in that song. A four-year-old girl was swaying back and forth with the music, then moved into the center isle to dance to the glory of God as we sang, “Shine on me, shine on me.” After the service, we noticed the mother of this child crying. Why? Because one of the members had told her she should keep her child under better control, that dancing in the aisle was totally inappropriate! It took time or us to convince the mother that what the woman had said was the inappropriate behavior, not her dancing daughter. This mother fostered four small children under age five!
Times are not as different as they were in the days of Jesus. Children were being brought to Jesus for a blessing and some well-meaning disciples were trying to “protect” him from those who would want Jesus to pay attention to children. Jesus rebuked them, “Let the little children come”. They are part of the Kingdom of God too!
As we gather back into the sanctuary again, let us encourage the children to be part of the worship, the fellowship, the mission, and the ministry of our church. Children of all ages have much to offer. Learn from them, model for them, and accept them for who they are. Together, we can discover and experience God’s Kingdom on earth.
WELCOME HOME, EVERYONE!