Scripture: Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Luke 18:15-16 (NKJV)
Observation: Jesus is teaching in parables. Many people come to listen to Him and are immediately attracted to Him not just because of His words but because of His welcoming demeanor. It is this loving, welcoming attitude that prompts the parents to bring their children so they can be blessed by Him.
The disciples’ response is interesting and somewhat understandable. With people pressing on Him from every side, and with such a busy schedule as Jesus had, they wanted to “protect” Him. Jesus was not a campaigning politician looking for a photo opp holding a child. They felt that holding and blessing the children would be a distraction from the important message He needed to present and the miraculous healing people were waiting for.
Jesus reminded them that in His priority list children rate very high and that we should remove anything and everything that may keep them from approaching Him.
Application: We would shudder today if we were the parents who tried to bring our children to be blessed by Jesus only to be met with such harshness on the part of His disciples. Of course, we’re always more critical as we look at what others do and not so harsh with ourselves, even if we’re doing the same thing. If we were His disciples, would we keep children from approaching Jesus? I want to suggest that many parents act just like the disciples and worst.
When we consider rules, policies, regulations, traditions, practices or anything more important than helping our children come to Jesus, we display the same attitude as the disciples did.
When we fail to spend time with our children teaching them through word and action about Jesus, we are keeping them from knowing Him. This is one of the reasons why daily worship, morning and evening, is so important to our children, because it is during those moments that we bring them to Him for them to know and love Jesus.
I would suggest that our words, actions, and attitudes, and how we practice our faith, can be the vehicle to bring Jesus to our children or the barrier that keeps them from knowing Him.
A Prayer You May Say: Father, forgive us when we have kept our own children from knowing You, and help us that from now on we will do everything in our power to make sure they know You and love You.
Used by permission of Adventist Family Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.