Oh, these sweet people. They make my heart swoon! Each one is different. Each one has special gifts and things that they do very well. Each one has struggles and moments when they experience the sadness that life can bring. I love their different personalities. They have things that they love and that are their favorite. They have best friends, favorite shoes, fashion styles (hidden, however, in this picture by the dresses Mama wanted them to wear. I got some pushback on that! But they’re so pretty, right?!!).
The Bible tells us many times over that children are a blessing and a gift from God. I love how much Jesus loved children during his years on Earth. When others thought the kids were in the way and wanted them to leave, Jesus stopped and spent time with them. He called them to be close to Him. He enjoyed their laughter, their simple joy, their beautiful innocence.
Mark 9:37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.
Mark 10:14 “When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Kids experience a different kind of happiness than we do. Their joy is without inhibition. They love fully and without complication. They trust without reservation. In a world full of lies and corruption, distrust and hatred, what an exciting and satisfying breath of fresh air children are! We are blessed abundantly that God added children into the mix when He created this world. They exude the light and love of Jesus!
Psalm 127:3-5 “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring award from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”
Jesus even talks about how we should all be like children! While we received thorough training to become foster parents, I didn’t need someone to tell me that children are sometimes forgotten, abused, neglected, and thought of as considerably lower than adults. But God has a different plan. He wants us to put ourselves in their place. To take on the role of those who are the least in our society. Our goal shouldn’t be to be the greatest, the one who is better than our peers. Our goal should be to love without reservation, to have faith in Jesus without a hint of disbelief or worry about the opinions of others, to follow Him without question.
Matthew 18:1-6 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to Him, and placed the child among them. And He said: ‘Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'”
Wow. That’s pretty intense. Can you imagine the difference in our society if we changed our goals to reflect what Jesus wants for us here? There might be a little bit more excitement for righteousness, more fervor for missions, more passion in sharing the gospel, maybe even a happy dance here and there. One thing is for sure, our kiddos can teach us a lot more than we believe they can. We just might have some new role models!
