Have you ever thought about the conversation between Jesus and his disciples when He told them to, “Let the children come to Me. And do not forbid them; for such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14 NKJV)? Can you imagine how stunned his disciples must have been? For not only were all eyes on Jesus for the miracles He was performing, but now He was asking for the smallest of the small, the least important to be ushered to the front of the line.
Can you wrap your brain around the fact that Jesus gave this mind-boggling directive? I don’t believe that anyone today who has even a smidgen of noteworthy clout would begin to think that way.
My grandson, Martin, who just turned two, is keenly aware of sounds that are around him. Whenever we are outside, if he hears anything unexpected,—an airplane, bird, truck, etc.—he will stop and ask, “What’s that noise?” His voice melts the hearts of anyone within earshot, but in addition to his sweetness, what the Lord has had me see is that Martin who is so tender and unjaded, pays attention to what most of us don’t notice or have blocked out. Is that one reason why Jesus says to let the little children come? Is it because the heart of little children, which is soft like that of Martin’s, is the ground that Jesus is looking for in all of us?
