Like Little Children

      People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:13-15)

 

        Scripture never teaches the idea of considering children unimportant. Scripture never teaches us to treat people (men, women, children, and even enemies) badly as people. The negative reaction of the disciples doesn’t indicate how the Jews were supposed to treat children, but it does show the influence of other cultures and philosophies on the Jews.

So, when the disciples started into the “Let’s not have them pester Jesus,” routine, Jesus scolded them. Scripture says He was indignant. This word is used to describe Jesus twice and six more times to describe others. Mark uses the term four times, and half of those are describing Jesus.

          That tells us that God likes kids, which shouldn’t surprise us who aren’t older, single, and unused to kids. But Jesus does take us into uncharted territory when He says that “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,” and that we must receive the kingdom of God like a child, or we will not enter it. Usually, people refer to how trusting a child tends to be.

          Sometimes, we think about children in terms of their being honest. They’ll say the “darnedest things.” But there are other factors I think might come into play here. Have you watched a child trying to get something he/she wants? They ask. They flirt. They demand. They scream. They move furniture, climb over obstacles, open doors, and throw things (including themselves, most famously, in grocery store aisles.) And once they have something, they aren’t giving it up. It’s theirs.

          Along with that, they have a complete lack of respect. It doesn’t matter to them that someone is a Lord High Muckety Muck. It doesn’t matter that “that man” is Jesus, and because He’s important, He shouldn’t be bothered.

And the child’s response is something along the lines of, “But he smiled and he makes a good set of monkey bars.”

          What was your reaction to the last paragraph? Amusement? Embarrassment? Agreement? Mine is a mixture of amusement and embarrassment. The Son of God…a good set of monkey bars? I’m not suggesting that we should disrespect God, but at the same time, I think sometimes our “respect” is artificial or socially contrived. It’s bad etiquette to say ______ to God. When you pray, you have to say, “In Jesus’ Name.” If you want something, you need to fill out this form in triplicate, and that form, and produce your official identification… Children would draw (scribble) a picture of what they want on the forms and announce, “I’m (insert name),” when asked for ID. And then they’d ask for the seventy-ninth time in the hour for what they want, or flirt, or demand, or throw a temper tantrum.

          Be like that sort of child? That horrible, rude, impolite, won’t-take-“No”-for-an-answer sort of child? That’s what Jesus is saying the kingdom of God belongs to? No. Couldn’t be. But Abraham dickered with God about Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot dickered with the angels about where to flee to, Moses argued with God more than once, and Gideon accused God of not caring. Then in the New Testament, there’s His mother who ignored His protests and virtually ordered Him to do something about the lack of wine at the wedding, the Samaritan woman who argued with Jesus at the well, the Syro-Phoenician woman who wouldn’t take silence or “no” for an answer, the friends who tore a hole in the roof to get a paralytic to Him, blind men who wouldn’t shut up, lepers who approached Him, and a woman with an issue of blood who snuck up on Him and touched His clothes. And all the while, we’re waiting in the receiving line because it would be impolite to interrupt, and we’re pretty sure He won’t do what we’ve listed on our official forms….

          Which, I hope, leads us all to say, “Hm.”