At
the time of Jesus’ teaching ministry, children had little status.
They were often pushed aside as second-class citizens. So Jesus’
words got the attention of his listeners when he invited children to
come near. This wasn’t the first time his disciples had heard
Jesus’ teaching on this—and it wasn’t the last time they tried
to prevent access to Jesus. But Jesus would have none of that. He
drew close to people whom society tended to cast aside.
Some
Christians have an attitude of pushing away people who are poor or
who are different from them. There are many ways that we can tend to
huddle close, excluding people who don’t fit our standards. Yet we
don’t see that attitude in anything Jesus did. In fact, again and
again Jesus reached out to the marginalized.
To
enter into the kingdom of heaven, Jesus says, we must receive it with
complete dependence and trust—like a child. Children are at the
mercy of their caregivers. They cannot protect themselves, defend
themselves, or provide for themselves. They have to rely on
and trust their caregivers for everything they need.
God
wants us to see that we have the same kind of dependence on him for
life and salvation. Trusting in him, relying on his power and mercy
and grace, we can receive these wonderful gifts and enjoy full life
forever.