Mark 10 - Why Jesus Loved Kids!


The Little Children and Jesus

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 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.15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms,placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Jesus' teaching is consistently challenging the prevailing norms of his culture.  He turns things around so those who think they are special because of their position, and those who might seem like the outcast are lifted up. In this case like his often the case in our society, children were to be seen and not heard.  
So Jesus' disciples thought he was certainly to busy to be troubled by these children. After all, he had some serious work to be doing and they not only thought it was a bad idea for people to bring young children to him, they rebuked them.  But when Jesus saw this he was indignant.  And said "do not hinder these kids from coming to me for the kingdom of God belongs to these." Then he lifts up the children as an example of faith and openness to his kingdom coming.  
What is it about children that Jesus finds so great?  I think the biggest quality about children is that they are trusting, unless they are given a reason not to.  Also children are open to new ideas and still have a sense of wonder.  They have not been hardened by life and closed off to possibility.  Children are another example of those who Jesus uplifted because of their trust in him.  Add children to the tax collectors, the prostitute, the woman with five husbands, the leper and the synagogue ruler whose son was dying. 
We might say Jesus is in favor of the "underdog".  The long shots.  Those who are cast out of society and marginalized.  Jesus saw their potential, drew them to his saving love.  Maybe we might want to think more about this in our missional strategies.  I.e. How do we reach out to the children in our community?  Hey, what a novel idea!

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