Suffer the Children Unto Me

From the moment we started our own family, God has been sending young neighborhood kids to our home. I have often joked with other people that we 'collect kids.'  In actuality, what happens is that God seems to send children over to us, one way or another.  They stop by to play with our kids, to have snacks, or maybe just to play video games.  This phenomenon happens no matter where we move, or where we have lived in the past.  There has always been a steady stream of little ones knocking on our front door.  

I'm embarrassed to say that in the beginning, it used to annoy me a little.  I would be out trying to mow the lawn, or maybe doing some other work around the house.  And then came a knock on the door.  I've since learned that this is a blessing.  A way for us to help give back to God by helping watch over these little ones.  We are a safe place for them to come and have social interactions with other kids.  They arrive, and we open the door.  A simple but effective formula. 

It reminds me of the famous Scripture from Matthew 19:14 that says, "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Some translations say "suffer the little children unto me."  The term suffer here means simply to allow them to come forward.  


Jesus was often counter-cultural, and this situation was no exception.  Children back in first century Palestine were often marginalized, or thought of as simply less important.  Surely their parents loved them, but generally speaking, the rest of the culture thought of them as second class citizens.  Not the case with God.  He loved them, and so did His son.  The scene described in the book of Matthew was one where the disciples tried to stop people from bringing kids to the Messiah in order to be prayed over.  Jesus saw this, and put a stop to it.  He welcomed the young ones in, no matter how tired he was. 

We are in fact children in God's eyes - we know this because the Bible describes our relationship in this fashion quite often.  I am certain that God suffers us the same way Jesus did two-thousand years ago.  Jesus was willing to spend time with these young ones ... to take a moment out of his schedule and listen to them.  Scripture also says that we must be like little children in order to enter into Heaven.  Matthew 18:3-4 says, "...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."

We have heard things similar to this before from Jesus.  He also told his disciples that in order to be first in Heaven, they must learn to be last here on Earth.  No doubt this was confusing for them; it is confusing for us now.  

So this begs the question: how do we become like kids in God's eyes?  Why should a holy being such as God 'suffer' us to himself?  I don't know about you, but if the Bible takes the time to lay out a way for us to come closer to the Father, I'm going to listen.  Even if the answer may be couched inside of a parable or metaphor.  

I believe there are three ways in which you and I can become more like children in God's eyes.  The first way is to simply have faith.  We know from Scripture that good works are important, but that without the accompanying faith - they fall short.  Feeding the homeless for God is entirely different than feeding the homeless in order to impress other people or make ourselves feel better.  It is a matter of the heart.

Second, we can become more like children in God's eyes when we walk next to Him.  Everyone follows something or someone - some type of code or a way of thinking.  Even the man espousing no belief system is putting forward a belief, for example.  So why not consider being obedient to what God wants for us?  It might just so happen that this is better for us in the long run anyway, over and above what popular culture can teach.  

Finally, we can become more like children in God's eyes when we seek Him out.  This takes diligent and deliberate action on our part.  Think of those times in your life when God seemed distant, like He wasn't there.  Now ask this question: did He leave us, or did we maybe pull away from Him?  The more often we deliberately take time to trust Him in difficult situations, the more likely we might be to remember our faith when we really need it.  Continue to watch for God and to seek Him out.  There will be competing voices in your life, no doubt.  But listen intently so that His voice is the loudest one.

John 6:37 makes and extraordinary claim.  It says, "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."  This seems to imply that if God sees fit to view us as His children, then Jesus also sees fit to suffer us to himself.  There will never be a sin too grievous that it cannot be forgiven, or a time when you sought after God vehemently but He turned His back on you.  Indeed, Hebrews 13:5 says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."  It isn't in God's character to abandon us.

So please continue to bring those little ones with you to church.  With a pandemic flaring around us, it is understandable that not everyone will worship together in person for a while.  But keep them in the fold, keep them engaged in what God is doing.  And in the process, make sure you are listening to His still, small voice also.  We are all His children, and He will never leave us or forsake us.  Take full advantage of that divine promise - it doesn't get any better than that. There is nothing comparable to it this side of Heaven. 



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