Letter To Our Children

by Pastor Joe | October 18, 2023 | Letters To Our Children

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October 18, 2023

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 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. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them, and blessed them.

Mark 10:14-16

Butterfly

Hello Friends.

 

The mercy of God covers all people, including those whom society does not think have much value.

 

A terrible truth about humans is that sometimes we look at people and do not think they are important enough to value them, or we are around people who do not seem bright enough, beautiful enough, popular enough, or strong enough for us to value them, and we snub or mistreat them.

 

One example of this is the quote from Mark's Gospel. Jesus loves and blesses children. The disciples criticize them and want them gone. Children in that time and place did not generally have high value.

 

In the first century, Greek and Roman cultures had virtually no strong affection and value toward children. They thought there were too many people to feed in the Empire. Many children would not live to celebrate their first birthday. Offspring were good to work in the fields but were not wanted as small children. Sometimes, they would be left for dead outdoors or in trash heaps.

 

The Jews treated their children better. A child was a gift from God. Still, children enjoyed no social standing. Like most women, children only had value if a man gave it to them. Little kids were better off seen and not heard.

 

None of this was true with Jesus. He reminds us it is childlike humility and trust that mark those who belong to God's Kingdom. God is not moved by how important a person is in the way the world is. He does not consider how intelligent a person is, how sophisticated, how strong, how popular, athletic, or how talented a person is as a way to value them. Those things are what they are. God values our existence as human beings and our willingness to surrender ourselves to Him and completely trust Him.

 

With God, we never have to prove something about ourselves we need only to confess something about ourselves. We need His mercy. Children have that winsome ability to trust. Jesus understood this.

 

If you are reading this and you are a kid, you are not the kind of people Jesus meant to stay away from. You are exactly the people Jesus wanted to see. Jesus did not find children a burden or a bother. He cared about them and blessed them.

 

If I were a butterfly
I'd thank you Lord for giving me wings
If I were a robin in a tree
I'd thank you Lord that I could sing
If I were a fish in the sea
I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me, me


For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me, me

If I Were a Butterfly, by Brian Howard – Verse One

 

 

You are so important! God bless you and may you know and feel your worth.

 

Pastor Joe