People were bringing children to Jesus in order that he might touch them, and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them: “Let the little children come to me and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs to them. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, will never enter in it. And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them and blessed them.
Mark 10:13-16
NOW
The Callings of Children
We think of children as sweet and precious, but do we think of them as called? Well, even babies are called. They are called in their helplessness to teach their mothers and fathers how to love. And that is just the beginning of the things that children BY THEIR VERY NATURE teach the world. Just as this young mother does in this story.
The ways of children are merely reflective of their lack of development. Jesus says that they are given by God to help us see God’s kingdom. Jesus embraces children wholeheartedly as another way to point out the difference between what God has in mind for the world, and the way the world functions.
Jesus cares for those who are weak and vulnerable and seeks to protect them. Beyond that, Jesus sees PURPOSE in their weak and vulnerable state—these are the ways they are pointing the rest of us to God.
And so we learn to love God through them. This is our calling.
- What are ways children have helped you learn about God’s heart?
- When you think about what aspects of childhood you have lost, or have melted away from your life, what longings does this surface?
- What is ONE way you would like Jesus to help you become more childlike?