Jesus Loves The Little Children

Can't tell you how many times I sang this song as a child. Did you? Do you remember it still? C'mon, sing it with me!

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white. They're all precious in his sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Now, look around you...if people are staring at you or laughing, that means you were singing out loud. It also means you are willing to do whatever I say, which could be fun for everybody!!!

Kids can be a handful for us grown-ups to be sure, but I think they also give us a window to the soul and to God. I think what you see when you see little ones smiling and playing and learning is God's creation before the world's influences start to muck it up.

Do you think that maybe children, and especially the little ones, were Jesus' favorite part of his time here on Earth? Can you see Him smiling widely, sitting among a group of youngsters and enjoying the time with them? Imagine Jesus and his disciples going around teaching...keeping a busy schedule. The disciples are almost like Jesus' security detail. The crowds are pushing in, trying to get close to Jesus...many of them with children. The disciples start getting on the crowd, trying to get them pushed back so they can get to their next appointment...when Jesus gets upset with them. You know what He told them???

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." -- Mark 10:14-15

Jesus was willing to interrupt the schedule in order to spend time with the little ones. How cool is that? Now, pair that with the following passage from 1 Corinthians; chapter 13, verses 11 and 12:

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

We were created to be innocent and joy-filled creatures; to spend quality time with God and have a life of peace. God didn't change His mind...we messed it up by deciding we'd rather have the knowledge of good and evil. I think that is part of the reason Jesus would have enjoyed being around kids so much.

I watched this past Sunday as five kids were the very first to be baptized at our church. They all love Jesus very much and can tell you exactly why they were baptized. It was very cool to be a part of it, and it makes me even more determined to make myself child-like when it comes to God. How about you?