Jesus Welcomes Two Children by the Sea of Galileeby PastorDaniel
10:15Mark 10:15
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter there in.
When mothers brought their infants and little ones to Jesus for blessing, the disciples tried to send them away as an interruption, but He was displeased, called the children to Himself, took them in His arms and blessed them.
He declares that little children belong to His kingdom and are not too young to be brought to Him, to be blessed by Him, and to enter through the pearly gates into the city of God.
To receive the kingdom as a little child is to come to Christ, accept Him as Redeemer and personal Saviour, and listen to His counsel with trusting, receptive faith.
It means humility, loving dependence on God, teachable simplicity and openness, renouncing self-reliance, self-righteousness, worldly wisdom and cherished sin, and receiving eternal love as a free gift without feeling worthy to deserve it.
It therefore comforts burdened mothers and charges parents and ministers to bring even the youngest and most wayward to Jesus in faith, teach them He is their best Friend, train them step by step for heaven, and meet them with the same tender sympathy He showed.
Scene and Setting
Mark 10:15 belongs to the scene where mothers bring infants, little ones, and youth to Jesus to receive His blessing and be benefited by Him. The disciples regard the children as an interruption and try to send the mothers and children away, which is error and displeases Him. The children themselves gladly approach Him, drawn by loving tenderness and unafraid of Him. He notices the sorrows and needs of the little children and blesses the mothers who care for them.
He makes His way through the crowd to meet the mothers, and His loving attention gives them hope. He recognizes their care and burden in training according to the word of God, their prayers, perplexities, worries, and sorrows, and He has drawn them into His presence where their prayers are heard. His words give mothers comfort and encouragement to work hopefully for their children, for children are bought by His blood and He remains a personal Saviour and helper. He commands that little children be allowed to come to Him without hindrance.
He receives the children tenderly even while busy teaching, welcomes them, and does not turn away those who come to Him for help. He takes them in His arms, lays His hands upon them, and gives them the blessing for which they came. He tenderly holds the infants and restores the sick among them to health, and children and youth are restored from even a dying condition as His healing grace rests on the afflicted and His power shows no limit. His care for them helps draw people to Him. The mothers go home rejoicing with children imbued with His Spirit, and when people reach out to Him He reaches out to them and does not refuse a hand stretched out for aid.
The tender reception of the children awakens love for Him in those who witness it. In particular the young ruler sees Christ receiving children tenderly and taking them in His arms. He has a high estimate of his own righteousness and does not suppose he is defective in anything, yet he is not altogether satisfied and feels the want of something he does not possess. He therefore wants Jesus to bless him as He had blessed the little children and to satisfy his soul-want with that same blessing.
Childlike Reception Explained
To enter the kingdom it must be received as a little child receives it, by coming to Christ, listening to Him, and accepting Him and His counsel and blessing as Redeemer and personal Saviour with trusting, receptive faith. This reception is a childlike readiness to come and be taught, meeting Him at one's level so that important lessons made clear to the understanding plant truths that grow with maturity. Its simplicity is mutual welcome, becoming childlike in faith to welcome Christ and be welcomed by Him, coming to God to accept His salvation and choosing to love and serve Him.
The childlike spirit is humility and dependence on God, loving trust, teachable readiness to be taught and led, innocence uncorrupted by worldly deception, simplicity and openness. It stands in contrast to being worldly-wise and hard-hearted, self-exalting and ambitious, which keep one from entering. Children listen and accept Him as Redeemer far more readily than grown, worldly-wise people, for the hearts of the young are most susceptible to Christianity, easy to influence toward piety and virtue and strong to retain impressions. Little ones who come have His image and gracious words stamped upon plastic minds never to be effaced, for in the children brought to Him were seen future men and women who would be heirs of grace and subjects of the kingdom, some to become martyrs for His name. He came down to their level, answering their questions and simplifying important lessons to meet childish understanding, planting seeds of truth that in after-years would spring up and bear fruit unto eternal life, and therefore they must be approached with kindness, taught with love and patience, reached by the Spirit, and never turned away or treated harshly. A learner in His school must remain teachable rather than act as though baptism makes further learning unnecessary, and duties become cheerful when joined with love for God.
Receiving as a little child means renouncing self-reliance, giving up one's own wisdom and self-righteousness, worldly attachments and desire for human approval, and being willing to surrender and sacrifice every sin and cherished indulgence that hinders spiritual life, even at great personal cost. Entering calls for serious sacrifice, while the Holy Spirit aids those who welcome that help and cooperate with it in pursuit of eternal life. It means coming to the feet of Jesus content to receive without deserving, feeling His love can never be repaid, and laying all doubt and unbelief aside. To whoever comes in this childlike way all the treasures of eternal love are a free, everlasting gift.
It is a glad, trusting closeness like little children glad to come, putting elbows upon His knees, looking up into His sweet face and reading there depths of love and gentleness beaming from Him, so that His love in the heart produces gentleness and love springing up toward others. It is trusting God as a child trusts a parent, without fear or trouble, even in facing death. It is trusting Jesus like an instrument in the hand of a Master Workman, doing what can be done and doing the best possible without worry, keeping cheerful and not letting the father of lies triumph by discouragement and faintheartedness. It is finding daily rest and peace close by Jesus, taking more rest because of human limits under constant strain, holding the divine armor Satan wants to strip away, letting light shine instead of trying to make it shine because Jesus does that, letting the righteousness of Christ surround as a garment, and believing all knowledge and wisdom will come from the Holy One of Israel who will not fail nor be discouraged.
It involves repentance and conversion to become one of the Lord's little children, coming to Jesus for help as a repentant son and coming to God to accept His salvation. It is choosing to love and serve Him with the simplicity and trust of a child, for those who do not receive it in this way will not enter it. So received, it makes ready for the Lord's soon coming.
Children Belong to Kingdom
Little children belong to the kingdom of God and are not too young to be brought to Jesus to be benefited and blessed, for the kingdom is for such as these. Mothers who bring their little ones from infancy through childhood and youth, carrying the care and burden of training them according to the word of God, are drawn into His presence and their prayers are heard, and to send them away as an interruption is error that displeases Him. He commands that little children be allowed to come to Him without hindrance, and He takes them in His arms, lays His hands upon them and gives them the blessing for which they came, receiving them as His precious little flock and desiring to bless them in their homes with His hands upon their heads. Children must be helped to choose the path that leads into the fold of safety before probationary time closes and it is forever too late to enter, and they need to be carefully and tenderly shielded from temptation. Little children can be saved and must receive the kingdom as little children in order to enter through the pearly gates into the city of God, and they are to be taught that they can be saved, for Christ is always helping children and delights in speaking words of encouragement to them, still taking them in His arms and blessing them.
The hearts of the young are most susceptible to the teachings of Christianity, with plastic, expanding minds easy to influence toward piety and virtue and strong to retain impressions received, so they listen to Jesus and accept Him as Redeemer far more readily than many grown, worldly-wise and hard-hearted people. They should therefore be approached with kindness and taught with love and patience, for little ones who come receive His image and gracious words stamped upon their minds never to be effaced. He came down to their level in teaching, did not disdain to answer their questions, and simplified His important lessons to meet their childish understanding. In the children brought to Him He saw future men and women who would be heirs of His grace and subjects of His kingdom, some of whom would become martyrs for His name. Seeds of truth planted in their minds at their level would spring up in after-years and bear fruit unto eternal life.
Children may bring their sins to Him, ask forgiveness, and believe that He pardons and receives them, without requiring a violent emotional experience as evidence nor knowing its exact time. Those who come to receive a blessing expressing a desire to become Christians show this childlike response. Little children receive the kingdom by taking in the fact that Jesus loves them and by loving Him and giving their young hearts to Him, which greatly pleases Him. He is pleased with them when they try to do what is right, and the way must be opened for children to learn this, with parents and children united together in willing service to God.
Children are the heritage of the Lord and His property, bought by His blood at infinite price, and Christ died for them and remains a personal Saviour and helper. His eyes are upon even the youngest, He guides them as the true Shepherd, and He wants them to have beautiful characters and to please Him by doing His will. He hears the simple prayers of children and adds the incense of His own spotless merits, purity and loveliness to them, so they rise before God as a sweet-smelling savor. He gives angels special charge over them at home, at school and in Sabbath school, knowing Satan seeks to entice them, while by His Spirit He works to draw them to God.
Christ's Love for Children
He is ever a lover of children, accepting their childish sympathy and open, unaffected love. Their grateful praise from pure lips is music in His ears and refreshes His spirit when oppressed by contact with crafty and hypocritical men. When wearied by the bustle of the crowded city He found rest and peace with innocent little children. His presence never repelled them, for His large heart of love comprehended their trials and necessities and found happiness in their simple joys.
Wherever He goes the benignity of His countenance and His gentle, kindly manner win the love and confidence of children. Drawn by that loving tenderness they gladly approach Him and are not afraid of Him. They put their elbows upon His knees, look up into His sweet face, and read there depths of love and gentleness beaming from Him. He loved children, drew them to Himself, and did not turn them away.
He never turned a child away or repulsed one, even when He Himself was a child. His face and eyes lit up with smiles for them, and little children were drawn to Him. He wants them to come to Him with all their little perplexities and troubles, trusting in Him and loving Him, and He comes down to meet the wants of children. He welcomed their troubles, listened to their stories, soothed their childish griefs and disappointments and injuries, and comforted them with sympathetic words that eased their sorrow.
He Himself lived childlike innocence and simplicity while strictly observing His Father's law in perfect freedom. He played with little children, took them in His arms and blessed them. In Him were combined childlike innocence and simplicity with manly strength, all-absorbing devotion to God with tender love for man, commanding dignity with winning humility, and unyielding firmness with sweet gentleness.
He came to the world as a baby and a little child so that humanity around Him could be instructed by His humanity how to lay hold upon His divinity. His work was humanity helping humanity to grasp divinity, and by that laying hold many souls are saved and all transgressions are pardoned when sinners come and accept Him as personal Saviour. Standing at the head of humanity in human form, in the garb of humanity, He was so full of sympathy and love that the poorest was not afraid to come to Him, kind to all and easily approached by the most lowly.
In taking the little children in His arms and blessing them He met every form of woe and affliction with unfailing tenderness and gentleness. He went from house to house healing the sick, feeding the hungry, comforting the mourners, soothing the afflicted, and speaking peace to the distressed, and spoke words of hope and comfort to weary mothers. He labored not for Himself but for others, willing to humble Himself and deny Himself without seeking to distinguish Himself, as the servant of all, finding His meat and drink in being a comfort and consolation to others and in gladdening the sad and heavy-laden ones with whom He daily came in contact.
His care for children helped draw people to Him. That tenderness made mothers interested in Him and opened the way for souls to receive Him. His tenderness toward them showed the compassion, love, and mercy that characterized His work.
Bringing Children to Jesus
The verse belongs to mothers bringing little ones from infancy through childhood and youth to Jesus to be benefited and blessed, for little children belong to the kingdom and are not too young to come. Those mothers carry the care and burden of training their children according to the word of God, and they are drawn into His presence and their prayers are heard. To send such mothers and children away as an interruption is error that displeases Him, for He commands that little children be allowed to come to Him without hindrance. He makes His way through the crowd to meet them, takes them in His arms, lays His hands upon them, and gives them the blessing for which they came. His welcome gives comfort and His loving attention gives hope, encouraging mothers to bring their children to Him and to continue their work of care and love with hope, since children are bought by His blood and He remains a personal Saviour and helper.
Parents should bring their little ones to Jesus for His blessing even when they are wayward and show human passions, because He welcomed and blessed children like them. Even very young children from one to four or five years old are to be welcomed when parents bring them forward, spoken to personally, and blessed in His name. This care for children touches the heart and belongs to the order and interest of the Sabbath school.
Bringing them means bringing them in the arms of faith through earnest work for their salvation and careful family worship. Children are to be lovingly taught that Jesus is their very best Friend, that they can come to Him with all their trials and sorrows, and that He will sympathize with them. God the Father is to be presented to them not as a God of tyranny but as a God of love, so that they will want to be children of God and followers of Jesus Christ. Mothers bearing the sacred charge of training children for heaven must continually advance as daily learners in Christ's school in order to impart instruction in righteousness and lead their children to higher attainments, and feeling their need of divine support they are to bring their little ones to Jesus so His hand is laid in blessing on their heads and His Spirit subdues their hearts. Bringing children to Jesus in faith and seeking His grace and wisdom reflects the trusting dependence by which the kingdom is received, and they are to be trained to serve and do His will.
His loving reception, even while busy teaching, when He took children in His arms and blessed them, teaches parents to bring children to Him and train them step by step to become His coworkers. That blessing helped prepare those children for service in His work. Parents are to bring their children to Jesus for His blessing and faithfully prepare them for heaven, rather than making worldly approval their chief concern.
Christ died for children, children are the heritage of the Lord, and He is ready to do a great work for them if parents cooperate with Him in training and educating them according to His instruction. God honors the young, choosing Joseph in his youth for a special work, accepting boy Samuel dedicated to His service and communicating a solemn message to him while passing by the aged priest who failed to train his children, and giving the childhood character of John the Baptist as encouragement to parents. Mothers of children are to be helped and encouraged by prayer with and for them.
To bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is the greatest missionary work parents can perform. Fathers and mothers must bring their children to Jesus by faith, holding fast to the throne of God, laboring for their own souls and for the souls of others as laborers together with God. They must make a decided change, cleanse their thoughts and cleanse the soul temple, pray and watch unto prayer, come up from their low level, give their children right instruction and training, and adorn the doctrine of Christ the Saviour. They must remove every stumbling block from the path of their children so the Lord can work, beginning with consecration of the whole being to God in full surrender, praying and believing the promises and seeking the grace of Christ to be taught His way and will. They must give an account to God for the manner in which they deal with their children and for the appetites and passions transmitted to them, bringing religion into home duties so the light gained shines in the family circle and appropriating to the little ones the truths of Christ's righteousness coming in mercy and love with prayer for wisdom to mold their minds.
His treatment of children is the model for parents and ministers. He understood their feelings and sympathized with them in their pleasures and trials, drew them to Himself, loved them and did not turn them away, so they loved Him, gladly approached Him, and were not afraid of His presence. Parents should not neglect children or treat them inconsistently, and those who teach them should meet them where they are so they can help them grow, since children's innocent happiness is not opposed to religion. Ministers are to show tender love and sympathy so that people feel able to approach them.
Because He was once a child, children are to be treated gently and honored as a sacred charge, not indulged or idolized, and taught to live pure, noble lives and form characters fit for God's kingdom. Teaching them Bible truth and helping them come to Him is important work. Little children are to be kept in health and dedicated to Him daily. Children can become laborers together with Jesus and please God through willing, sacrificial gifts.
Living as Little Children
Entering the kingdom requires receiving it with the trusting simplicity and willingness to be taught that belong to a child, and one who learns in Christ's school must stay teachable and not act as if baptism ends the need for further learning, with duties becoming cheerful when joined with love for God. Receiving in this childlike way includes remaining in right relation to God and depending on His power to resist enticement to sin. It means praying for His help, turning from hasty speech and wicked actions, and living as God directs while preparing for heaven.
To enter through the pearly gates into the city of God, children must receive the kingdom as little children by being kind, tender, and courteous. This begins as early as possible by creating a heavenly atmosphere through speaking kindness and helping those who need help, and by accepting the careful training of fathers and mothers and responding with help in that training. Youth and children are to wash their hands in innocency, pray as never before, let the words from their lips be sanctified, put away hasty temper and discouraging words in the family, and so form characters fit for the courts above.
His blessing makes children more lovable and beautiful in character like Himself. As His little flock claimed as His own children, bought with a price, they are to use present association as a precious opportunity to form beautiful character and learn what will make them useful. This means being very kind to one another, thoughtful in words and actions, helpful to one another, and letting His love constrain them. By contrast they are not to indulge the weak defective element in character through envy, jealousy, fretting, complaining, thinking evil of one another, and unthoughtful words and actions, lest they sow seeds in one another's hearts that become tares, thistles and obnoxious plants, grieve one another's hearts and grieve His heart, and let the enemy gain mastery.
He receives children as His precious little flock and desires to bless them in their homes, placing His hands upon their heads. They must be helped to choose the path that leads into the fold of safety before probationary time closes and it is forever too late to enter. For this they need to be carefully and tenderly shielded from temptation.
When mothers brought their infants and little ones to Jesus for blessing, the disciples tried to send them away as an interruption, but He was displeased, called the children to Himself, took them in His arms and blessed them.
He declares that little children belong to His kingdom and are not too young to be brought to Him, to be blessed by Him, and to enter through the pearly gates into the city of God.
To receive the kingdom as a little child is to come to Christ, accept Him as Redeemer and personal Saviour, and listen to His counsel with trusting, receptive faith.
It means humility, loving dependence on God, teachable simplicity and openness, renouncing self-reliance, self-righteousness, worldly wisdom and cherished sin, and receiving eternal love as a free gift without feeling worthy to deserve it.
It therefore comforts burdened mothers and charges parents and ministers to bring even the youngest and most wayward to Jesus in faith, teach them He is their best Friend, train them step by step for heaven, and meet them with the same tender sympathy He showed.
Scene and Setting
Mark 10:15 belongs to the scene where mothers bring infants, little ones, and youth to Jesus to receive His blessing and be benefited by Him. The disciples regard the children as an interruption and try to send the mothers and children away, which is error and displeases Him. The children themselves gladly approach Him, drawn by loving tenderness and unafraid of Him. He notices the sorrows and needs of the little children and blesses the mothers who care for them.
He makes His way through the crowd to meet the mothers, and His loving attention gives them hope. He recognizes their care and burden in training according to the word of God, their prayers, perplexities, worries, and sorrows, and He has drawn them into His presence where their prayers are heard. His words give mothers comfort and encouragement to work hopefully for their children, for children are bought by His blood and He remains a personal Saviour and helper. He commands that little children be allowed to come to Him without hindrance.
He receives the children tenderly even while busy teaching, welcomes them, and does not turn away those who come to Him for help. He takes them in His arms, lays His hands upon them, and gives them the blessing for which they came. He tenderly holds the infants and restores the sick among them to health, and children and youth are restored from even a dying condition as His healing grace rests on the afflicted and His power shows no limit. His care for them helps draw people to Him. The mothers go home rejoicing with children imbued with His Spirit, and when people reach out to Him He reaches out to them and does not refuse a hand stretched out for aid.
The tender reception of the children awakens love for Him in those who witness it. In particular the young ruler sees Christ receiving children tenderly and taking them in His arms. He has a high estimate of his own righteousness and does not suppose he is defective in anything, yet he is not altogether satisfied and feels the want of something he does not possess. He therefore wants Jesus to bless him as He had blessed the little children and to satisfy his soul-want with that same blessing.
Childlike Reception Explained
To enter the kingdom it must be received as a little child receives it, by coming to Christ, listening to Him, and accepting Him and His counsel and blessing as Redeemer and personal Saviour with trusting, receptive faith. This reception is a childlike readiness to come and be taught, meeting Him at one's level so that important lessons made clear to the understanding plant truths that grow with maturity. Its simplicity is mutual welcome, becoming childlike in faith to welcome Christ and be welcomed by Him, coming to God to accept His salvation and choosing to love and serve Him.
The childlike spirit is humility and dependence on God, loving trust, teachable readiness to be taught and led, innocence uncorrupted by worldly deception, simplicity and openness. It stands in contrast to being worldly-wise and hard-hearted, self-exalting and ambitious, which keep one from entering. Children listen and accept Him as Redeemer far more readily than grown, worldly-wise people, for the hearts of the young are most susceptible to Christianity, easy to influence toward piety and virtue and strong to retain impressions. Little ones who come have His image and gracious words stamped upon plastic minds never to be effaced, for in the children brought to Him were seen future men and women who would be heirs of grace and subjects of the kingdom, some to become martyrs for His name. He came down to their level, answering their questions and simplifying important lessons to meet childish understanding, planting seeds of truth that in after-years would spring up and bear fruit unto eternal life, and therefore they must be approached with kindness, taught with love and patience, reached by the Spirit, and never turned away or treated harshly. A learner in His school must remain teachable rather than act as though baptism makes further learning unnecessary, and duties become cheerful when joined with love for God.
Receiving as a little child means renouncing self-reliance, giving up one's own wisdom and self-righteousness, worldly attachments and desire for human approval, and being willing to surrender and sacrifice every sin and cherished indulgence that hinders spiritual life, even at great personal cost. Entering calls for serious sacrifice, while the Holy Spirit aids those who welcome that help and cooperate with it in pursuit of eternal life. It means coming to the feet of Jesus content to receive without deserving, feeling His love can never be repaid, and laying all doubt and unbelief aside. To whoever comes in this childlike way all the treasures of eternal love are a free, everlasting gift.
It is a glad, trusting closeness like little children glad to come, putting elbows upon His knees, looking up into His sweet face and reading there depths of love and gentleness beaming from Him, so that His love in the heart produces gentleness and love springing up toward others. It is trusting God as a child trusts a parent, without fear or trouble, even in facing death. It is trusting Jesus like an instrument in the hand of a Master Workman, doing what can be done and doing the best possible without worry, keeping cheerful and not letting the father of lies triumph by discouragement and faintheartedness. It is finding daily rest and peace close by Jesus, taking more rest because of human limits under constant strain, holding the divine armor Satan wants to strip away, letting light shine instead of trying to make it shine because Jesus does that, letting the righteousness of Christ surround as a garment, and believing all knowledge and wisdom will come from the Holy One of Israel who will not fail nor be discouraged.
It involves repentance and conversion to become one of the Lord's little children, coming to Jesus for help as a repentant son and coming to God to accept His salvation. It is choosing to love and serve Him with the simplicity and trust of a child, for those who do not receive it in this way will not enter it. So received, it makes ready for the Lord's soon coming.
Children Belong to Kingdom
Little children belong to the kingdom of God and are not too young to be brought to Jesus to be benefited and blessed, for the kingdom is for such as these. Mothers who bring their little ones from infancy through childhood and youth, carrying the care and burden of training them according to the word of God, are drawn into His presence and their prayers are heard, and to send them away as an interruption is error that displeases Him. He commands that little children be allowed to come to Him without hindrance, and He takes them in His arms, lays His hands upon them and gives them the blessing for which they came, receiving them as His precious little flock and desiring to bless them in their homes with His hands upon their heads. Children must be helped to choose the path that leads into the fold of safety before probationary time closes and it is forever too late to enter, and they need to be carefully and tenderly shielded from temptation. Little children can be saved and must receive the kingdom as little children in order to enter through the pearly gates into the city of God, and they are to be taught that they can be saved, for Christ is always helping children and delights in speaking words of encouragement to them, still taking them in His arms and blessing them.
The hearts of the young are most susceptible to the teachings of Christianity, with plastic, expanding minds easy to influence toward piety and virtue and strong to retain impressions received, so they listen to Jesus and accept Him as Redeemer far more readily than many grown, worldly-wise and hard-hearted people. They should therefore be approached with kindness and taught with love and patience, for little ones who come receive His image and gracious words stamped upon their minds never to be effaced. He came down to their level in teaching, did not disdain to answer their questions, and simplified His important lessons to meet their childish understanding. In the children brought to Him He saw future men and women who would be heirs of His grace and subjects of His kingdom, some of whom would become martyrs for His name. Seeds of truth planted in their minds at their level would spring up in after-years and bear fruit unto eternal life.
Children may bring their sins to Him, ask forgiveness, and believe that He pardons and receives them, without requiring a violent emotional experience as evidence nor knowing its exact time. Those who come to receive a blessing expressing a desire to become Christians show this childlike response. Little children receive the kingdom by taking in the fact that Jesus loves them and by loving Him and giving their young hearts to Him, which greatly pleases Him. He is pleased with them when they try to do what is right, and the way must be opened for children to learn this, with parents and children united together in willing service to God.
Children are the heritage of the Lord and His property, bought by His blood at infinite price, and Christ died for them and remains a personal Saviour and helper. His eyes are upon even the youngest, He guides them as the true Shepherd, and He wants them to have beautiful characters and to please Him by doing His will. He hears the simple prayers of children and adds the incense of His own spotless merits, purity and loveliness to them, so they rise before God as a sweet-smelling savor. He gives angels special charge over them at home, at school and in Sabbath school, knowing Satan seeks to entice them, while by His Spirit He works to draw them to God.
Christ's Love for Children
He is ever a lover of children, accepting their childish sympathy and open, unaffected love. Their grateful praise from pure lips is music in His ears and refreshes His spirit when oppressed by contact with crafty and hypocritical men. When wearied by the bustle of the crowded city He found rest and peace with innocent little children. His presence never repelled them, for His large heart of love comprehended their trials and necessities and found happiness in their simple joys.
Wherever He goes the benignity of His countenance and His gentle, kindly manner win the love and confidence of children. Drawn by that loving tenderness they gladly approach Him and are not afraid of Him. They put their elbows upon His knees, look up into His sweet face, and read there depths of love and gentleness beaming from Him. He loved children, drew them to Himself, and did not turn them away.
He never turned a child away or repulsed one, even when He Himself was a child. His face and eyes lit up with smiles for them, and little children were drawn to Him. He wants them to come to Him with all their little perplexities and troubles, trusting in Him and loving Him, and He comes down to meet the wants of children. He welcomed their troubles, listened to their stories, soothed their childish griefs and disappointments and injuries, and comforted them with sympathetic words that eased their sorrow.
He Himself lived childlike innocence and simplicity while strictly observing His Father's law in perfect freedom. He played with little children, took them in His arms and blessed them. In Him were combined childlike innocence and simplicity with manly strength, all-absorbing devotion to God with tender love for man, commanding dignity with winning humility, and unyielding firmness with sweet gentleness.
He came to the world as a baby and a little child so that humanity around Him could be instructed by His humanity how to lay hold upon His divinity. His work was humanity helping humanity to grasp divinity, and by that laying hold many souls are saved and all transgressions are pardoned when sinners come and accept Him as personal Saviour. Standing at the head of humanity in human form, in the garb of humanity, He was so full of sympathy and love that the poorest was not afraid to come to Him, kind to all and easily approached by the most lowly.
In taking the little children in His arms and blessing them He met every form of woe and affliction with unfailing tenderness and gentleness. He went from house to house healing the sick, feeding the hungry, comforting the mourners, soothing the afflicted, and speaking peace to the distressed, and spoke words of hope and comfort to weary mothers. He labored not for Himself but for others, willing to humble Himself and deny Himself without seeking to distinguish Himself, as the servant of all, finding His meat and drink in being a comfort and consolation to others and in gladdening the sad and heavy-laden ones with whom He daily came in contact.
His care for children helped draw people to Him. That tenderness made mothers interested in Him and opened the way for souls to receive Him. His tenderness toward them showed the compassion, love, and mercy that characterized His work.
Bringing Children to Jesus
The verse belongs to mothers bringing little ones from infancy through childhood and youth to Jesus to be benefited and blessed, for little children belong to the kingdom and are not too young to come. Those mothers carry the care and burden of training their children according to the word of God, and they are drawn into His presence and their prayers are heard. To send such mothers and children away as an interruption is error that displeases Him, for He commands that little children be allowed to come to Him without hindrance. He makes His way through the crowd to meet them, takes them in His arms, lays His hands upon them, and gives them the blessing for which they came. His welcome gives comfort and His loving attention gives hope, encouraging mothers to bring their children to Him and to continue their work of care and love with hope, since children are bought by His blood and He remains a personal Saviour and helper.
Parents should bring their little ones to Jesus for His blessing even when they are wayward and show human passions, because He welcomed and blessed children like them. Even very young children from one to four or five years old are to be welcomed when parents bring them forward, spoken to personally, and blessed in His name. This care for children touches the heart and belongs to the order and interest of the Sabbath school.
Bringing them means bringing them in the arms of faith through earnest work for their salvation and careful family worship. Children are to be lovingly taught that Jesus is their very best Friend, that they can come to Him with all their trials and sorrows, and that He will sympathize with them. God the Father is to be presented to them not as a God of tyranny but as a God of love, so that they will want to be children of God and followers of Jesus Christ. Mothers bearing the sacred charge of training children for heaven must continually advance as daily learners in Christ's school in order to impart instruction in righteousness and lead their children to higher attainments, and feeling their need of divine support they are to bring their little ones to Jesus so His hand is laid in blessing on their heads and His Spirit subdues their hearts. Bringing children to Jesus in faith and seeking His grace and wisdom reflects the trusting dependence by which the kingdom is received, and they are to be trained to serve and do His will.
His loving reception, even while busy teaching, when He took children in His arms and blessed them, teaches parents to bring children to Him and train them step by step to become His coworkers. That blessing helped prepare those children for service in His work. Parents are to bring their children to Jesus for His blessing and faithfully prepare them for heaven, rather than making worldly approval their chief concern.
Christ died for children, children are the heritage of the Lord, and He is ready to do a great work for them if parents cooperate with Him in training and educating them according to His instruction. God honors the young, choosing Joseph in his youth for a special work, accepting boy Samuel dedicated to His service and communicating a solemn message to him while passing by the aged priest who failed to train his children, and giving the childhood character of John the Baptist as encouragement to parents. Mothers of children are to be helped and encouraged by prayer with and for them.
To bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is the greatest missionary work parents can perform. Fathers and mothers must bring their children to Jesus by faith, holding fast to the throne of God, laboring for their own souls and for the souls of others as laborers together with God. They must make a decided change, cleanse their thoughts and cleanse the soul temple, pray and watch unto prayer, come up from their low level, give their children right instruction and training, and adorn the doctrine of Christ the Saviour. They must remove every stumbling block from the path of their children so the Lord can work, beginning with consecration of the whole being to God in full surrender, praying and believing the promises and seeking the grace of Christ to be taught His way and will. They must give an account to God for the manner in which they deal with their children and for the appetites and passions transmitted to them, bringing religion into home duties so the light gained shines in the family circle and appropriating to the little ones the truths of Christ's righteousness coming in mercy and love with prayer for wisdom to mold their minds.
His treatment of children is the model for parents and ministers. He understood their feelings and sympathized with them in their pleasures and trials, drew them to Himself, loved them and did not turn them away, so they loved Him, gladly approached Him, and were not afraid of His presence. Parents should not neglect children or treat them inconsistently, and those who teach them should meet them where they are so they can help them grow, since children's innocent happiness is not opposed to religion. Ministers are to show tender love and sympathy so that people feel able to approach them.
Because He was once a child, children are to be treated gently and honored as a sacred charge, not indulged or idolized, and taught to live pure, noble lives and form characters fit for God's kingdom. Teaching them Bible truth and helping them come to Him is important work. Little children are to be kept in health and dedicated to Him daily. Children can become laborers together with Jesus and please God through willing, sacrificial gifts.
Living as Little Children
Entering the kingdom requires receiving it with the trusting simplicity and willingness to be taught that belong to a child, and one who learns in Christ's school must stay teachable and not act as if baptism ends the need for further learning, with duties becoming cheerful when joined with love for God. Receiving in this childlike way includes remaining in right relation to God and depending on His power to resist enticement to sin. It means praying for His help, turning from hasty speech and wicked actions, and living as God directs while preparing for heaven.
To enter through the pearly gates into the city of God, children must receive the kingdom as little children by being kind, tender, and courteous. This begins as early as possible by creating a heavenly atmosphere through speaking kindness and helping those who need help, and by accepting the careful training of fathers and mothers and responding with help in that training. Youth and children are to wash their hands in innocency, pray as never before, let the words from their lips be sanctified, put away hasty temper and discouraging words in the family, and so form characters fit for the courts above.
His blessing makes children more lovable and beautiful in character like Himself. As His little flock claimed as His own children, bought with a price, they are to use present association as a precious opportunity to form beautiful character and learn what will make them useful. This means being very kind to one another, thoughtful in words and actions, helpful to one another, and letting His love constrain them. By contrast they are not to indulge the weak defective element in character through envy, jealousy, fretting, complaining, thinking evil of one another, and unthoughtful words and actions, lest they sow seeds in one another's hearts that become tares, thistles and obnoxious plants, grieve one another's hearts and grieve His heart, and let the enemy gain mastery.
He receives children as His precious little flock and desires to bless them in their homes, placing His hands upon their heads. They must be helped to choose the path that leads into the fold of safety before probationary time closes and it is forever too late to enter. For this they need to be carefully and tenderly shielded from temptation.