But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 19:14

Jesus’s love for children in a time when children weren’t valued much is a strong reminder. It’s a reminder that God cares about things that people often hurt or leave behind. We are told to love those who are unloved, forgotten, abused, or ignored. Why? Because that’s how Israel was in Egypt, that’s how Jesus was on the cross, and that’s how we were before God’s grace (Romans 5:6-11). How can we say we have salvation if we don’t tell others who need it? How can we say we are followers of Jesus if we don’t love those the world forgets?

 

Thought

Jesus’s love for children in a time when children weren’t valued much is a strong reminder. It’s a reminder that God cares about things that people often hurt or leave behind. We are told to love those who are unloved, forgotten, abused, or ignored. Why? Because that’s how Israel was in Egypt, that’s how Jesus was on the cross, and that’s how we were before God’s grace (Romans 5:6-11). How can we say we have salvation if we don’t tell others who need it? How can we say we are followers of Jesus if we don’t love those the world forgets?

 

Prayer

Father, I want to be more like you as a parent—a holy and loving parent to my own children and a tender parent to today’s abandoned children. Help me to be moved to act in ways that benefit children, rather than just being awakened by the abuse and neglect that children experience in my world. In Jesus’s precious name I pray. Amen.