Lessons from Matthew 19: Honoring God
Honoring God by Welcoming His Children
It seems a natural progression for Matthew to lead us from the matter of marriage or singleness to the matter of children. Children are the next generation and scripture tells us that not only are children a gift from God, they are our heritage, our future!
What are we doing individually and corporately to raise these children up in the ways of the Lord?
It appears that the disciples had a difficult time wrapping their minds and arms around the children. They kept trying to keep these children and their parents away from Jesus. Whether they thought they were an intrusion, nuisance, or something of that nature, we aren’t told.
But what we are told is that Jesus said in verse 14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Jesus was single but He welcomed the little children, He blessed them and prayed for them. He spent time with the little ones, teaching them and telling them stories about His kingdom.
He loved and enjoyed children as well as adults, reminding us that all people are precious in God’s sight and families are a gift from God; we should treat them as such. And children are a blessing from God. They are our heritage, for long after we are gone it is they who will carry on.
What are we, what are you, storing up in them?
I read an article by Dr. Dobson, a well known advocate for the family unit, in which he said:
Children don’t fit into a “to do” list very well. It takes time to introduce them to good books, to listen once more to the skinned-knee episode. But these are building blocks of esteem, held together with the mortar of love.
Christians honor God by honoring His children.
What is your view of these little ones? Are they a bother, a nuisance and intrusion in your everyday life? Won’t you let God change your thinking and the way you treat His precious gifts?
Jesus loves the little children and we as His adult children are to extend our love to them too! Whether you have children of your own or you are single, there are plenty of children who need our help, our nurturing, and our love.
And so we must ask ourselves how we personally can come alongside another family member or a child of a friend. Or maybe it’s the children at our church or the children at our Bible study who God wants us to teach and train and model godly living for.
Won’t you make yourself available and trust God to do the rest?
And for those who already willingly let God use you to love, teach, and instruct these children, you are not only a blessing to God, to them, but also to us! I thank God for each and every one of you!
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach