by[14] Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
During Jesus’ time on Earth, children were one category of people he had a lot of care for, although there isn’t much documentation about how frequently He interacted with them. One time, people brought little children for Jesus to bless them. But the disciples rebuked those little ones. Imagine a child running happily to meet a mature person, and all of a sudden, receives a stern rebuke from another person standing in the way. Quite devastating. Right? The disciples behaved like bodyguards of Jesus, forgetting that Jesus loved souls.
Jesus said in response to that scene, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Wait! That statement is a bit two-way in interpretation. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belongs to children. But is it physical children He’s talking about or believers in Christ? Secondly, in case it’s the former, does that mean children who die are guaranteed heaven? You see, it’s a bit complicated. Now, Jesus said in Luke 18:17 (NKJV) that,
“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
From this, it is clear that anybody who wants to be saved (receive God’s kingdom in him) must do so as a child. The use of the word “child” speaks of the humble, receptive nature of children. You must humble yourself to hear the gospel and be saved like a child does when he wants to patiently receive a gift from his parent. So Jesus was saying that God loves children, and when it comes to receiving God’s salvation, people must mimic the humble and receptive nature of children. He’ll always welcome children because they are precious. But all must be saved.
You are a blessing.
Prayer:
Father, help me to understand You and be humble enough to keep receiving from You. In the name of Jesus. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD – 2026 – 315
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