Today’s scripture: Matthew 19:13-15 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Penny Dean):
Every holiday season, a cable channel will air a marathon of the movie A Christmas Story. If you’ve not seen it, just wait til Thanksgiving — or ask me to quote it for you.
At any rate, one memorable scene has Ralph, the young protagonist who desperately wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, dragging his brother to see Santa Claus in a department store. After standing in a line that “stretched clear back to Terre Haute”, Ralph and Randy reach the stairs to Santa’s perch just as the store is closing. Santa is surrounded by an entourage of belligerent, scowling elves who drag screaming kids up the stairs, spin them around and thrust them on to Santa’s lap. While some of our past church experiences may have had altar calls similar to the above scene, Jesus’ reception of children was very different.
In this passage, the disciples (perhaps belligerent and scowling themselves) were rebuking parents for bringing their children to Jesus for a blessing. The Message says, “The disciples shooed them off.” Jesus had already reprimanded his followers regarding children in chapter 18. There he declared, “…unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… And whoever welcomes a little child… in my name welcomes me.” (NIV)
Not many children will willingly approach a belligerent or scowling adult, let alone a belligerent or scowling deity. And I don’t blame them! Who would want a forced relationship with God? I daresay that God would not want us to feel as though we were forced into a relationship, as if in a shotgun wedding.
At the same time, however, Jesus said, “Do not hinder them.” In fact, back in Matthew 18 he said, “…if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t.” (The Message) Woe to the person who gets in the way of a child’s faith, regardless of whether he’s dragging the kid to church or telling him he’s too young to even think about God.
There is no coercion or force in Jesus’ approach. He neither pulled children to him nor pushed them away. Neither does he imposed himself on us. As he said in Matthew 11:29 “…I am gentle and humble in heart….” (NIV)
Thought for the day: Were you forced into or hindered from a relationship with Jesus? How does that affect your relationship with Jesus now?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.