AS A LITTLE CHILD

See here the magnetism and attractiveness of the Saviour!

Huge crowds of ordinary folk were frequently attracted to follow the Lord Jesus. Why was this? Because they knew that He loved them. We often read that the Saviour was ‘moved with compassion’, when He saw the crowds. Sometimes, the crowds irritated the disciples and they would have sent them away, but He saw them as sheep having no shepherd.

In this instance, parents wanted to bring their babies to Jesus for Him to bless them. Why would He be interested in babies? Surely, He had more important things on His mind. And so the disciples turned away the disappointed parents and their chil­dren. But they hear the Saviour’s call, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid; for of such is the kingdom of God’ NKJV. The delighted parents bring their babies and chil­dren to Jesus who ‘took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them’, Mark 10. 16.

These infants were an audio visual display of the truth that Jesus had been teaching regarding the kingdom of God. Firstly, we learn the truth that if infants die, they go to heaven, ‘for of such is the kingdom of God’. What a comfort to bereaved par­ents. Secondly, we see that a child does not have to grow up to receive the Saviour, but an adult has to become like a little child to enter the kingdom of God, otherwise they ‘shall in no wise enter therein’.

Children are excellent judges of character. They have always been attracted to the Saviour. Never hinder children from open­ing their heart to the Lord Jesus and trusting Him as their Saviour. And never doubt the faith of a little child. A child is trusting, teachable and dependent. Unless we come to the Sav­iour the same way, however mature we may be, we will never get God’s salvation, we will never enter the kingdom of God.

The attitude of the disciples here reminds us of the mindset of the Pharisee praying in the temple. The willingness of chil­dren to allow the Saviour to take them in His arms reminds us of the mindset of the publican, who, recognizing his sinfulness and helplessness, cried, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner’.