September 25

Forbid Them Not

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” — Matt 19:14 BSB

The love of Christ for children was one of the most beautiful qualities in His life. It showed His true human heart. But we must also remember that it revealed His divine care and interest in children.

When the disciples rebuked those who brought the little ones, trying to keep the children away, Jesus was much displeased. “Let them come to me, and don’t stop them,” He said. This is a warning for us too. We must be very careful never to keep children from coming to Christ.

There are many ways we might unintentionally do this. As parents or older Christians, we may hinder them by setting a poor example, by living worldly lives. If we are not devout, we might unknowingly keep our children from the Savior. We might also discourage them by telling them they are too young to understand or by doing nothing to nurture their faith, allowing other interests to take the place of Christ.

Christ still stands calling children to Himself, and we should work to remove every obstacle in their way. We are also called to actively lead them to Him. Notice that the children are to come to Christ Himself. Even if they don’t fully understand the deeper doctrines or the “plan of redemption,” or can’t answer difficult questions, we should not hold them back. Jesus says, “Let them come to me.” Our role is to make sure we don’t create barriers, and that we encourage them to come to Him. Once they are with Him, there will be time enough for teaching.