Jesus, Friend to Children

I'm fairly new at the church I'm attending having been there only about four months. As many of you know, I bring my three grand-daughters to church with me most every Sunday. At our previous church my oldest grand-daughter Word Girl went to a kids worship while I went to adult worship with both of my littlest grand-daughters. At our new church the two little ones go to their own kids worship and Word Girl comes with me to adult worship.

One day as we walked into worship we were met by a lady I had gotten to know a little who stopped to say hello. Almost immediately she introduced herself to Word Girl and began a friendly conversation with her. After a few minutes we said our goodbyes and Word Girl and I went to go take our seats. She had a big grin on her face and felt like she had just found a new friend.

Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there. Matthew 19:13-15

The word rebuke is defined "to express sharp, stern disapproval of; to criticize sharply; reprove; reprimand."

People were always trying to get to Jesus to be healed, to ask a question, even just to get a look at Him as Zacchaeus the tax collector was doing when he climbed a tree. Yet when parents tried to bring their children to Jesus to touch them, bless them or pray over them, the disciples were very put out. Jesus not only loved children but he paid attention to them. I imagine when the children were brought to Jesus He squatted down to their height, looked straight into their eyes with a big smile on His face and talked with them. He probably asked them their name, their age, and what they liked to do. I'm sure He listened to them with great interest in what they said and after He prayed for them He probably hugged them or jostled their hair.

The Bible doesn't give us all the details but no doubt, He met them at their point of need just like He did with everyone else, and I'm sure those kids left Him with a big grin on their face and feeling like they had just found a new friend.

We all need a little attention sometimes. Children are often overlooked in a crowd of adults even at church. When you are in church next time and they tell you to greet the people near you, see if there is a child nearby that you can talk to. Maybe you will make them feel like they found a friend, and it just might make an impact on them for life.

"Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me." Matthew 18:5

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"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou