Jesus and children
Jesus and children
Jesus had surprised his listeners with his attitude to divorce. His attitude to children was just as surprising. Jesus' disciples did not really think that children were important to God. Parents brought children to Jesus for him to bless them. But the disciples told them to go away.
The disciples were doing what many people at that time would have done. ’Jesus has more important things to do than to bless children‘, they might have said.
Why Jesus loved the children
The disciples' actions upset Jesus. He gave the children a welcome. Children had many qualities which Jesus liked. They were not proud. They had a simple trust. They depended on other people. True disciples of Jesus should have all these qualities. Jesus loved these qualities. Adults were often proud and not honest. Once Jesus put a child in the middle of a group of adults and said this:
3 He said, ‘I tell you this: You must change and become like little children. If not, you will never come into the kingdom of heaven. 4 This little child does not think that he is very important. You must also think as he does. Whoever does this will be the most important person in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3-4 EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
We must become like little children
The kingdom of heaven is for people like that. They ask Jesus to direct them. They let him create these qualities in them. No other people will ever enter heaven. Jesus‘ standards are completely different from the standards of today‘s world!
