Luke 18:15-17; Mark 10:16
Luke’s account of parents bringing their children to Christ Jesus is one of three accounts in the gospels, and here it follows His parable of the Pharisee and the publican.
The message in that parable is about coming to God in humility when we pray. The Pharisee prayed to himself and the publican prayed earnestly to God when he said, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Next, the disciple tells us, “they brought unto him also infants,” letting us know babies and young children were brought to Jesus by their parents.
Some Bible students suggest there were a few of the children who were sick, but it seems the real purpose in bringing children to Jesus was that they would feel His touch and be blessed because of it. Mark affirms this attitude of being blessed by Jesus when he tells us, “And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.”
In the confusion of the moment, the disciples scolded the parents for disturbing Jesus, but He said they should not prevent the children from coming to Him. Children are examples of the people who go to heaven, and without childlike humility, Jesus said, a person will never enter heaven.
What did those people see in Jesus that led them to bring children to Him? We all know people whose demeanor makes them more inviting to approach, and Jesus was such a man. We also know people who are easier to talk to than other people, and the people were not hesitant to seek His blessing for the children.
He is seated today at the Father’s right hand, but His nature has not changed. Our concerns might seem troublesome and petty to other people, but Jesus does not see them in that way. Notice Mark’s account of this when he said Jesus “took them up in his arms.” Jesus did not just hurriedly touch each child, He embraced them. He does not treat us flippantly, either. He is kind, gracious and merciful.
Why did parents bring children to Jesus for His blessing? Even though Jesus physically healed people, there was knowledge that He could bless the soul. Their great concern in the moment was that Jesus would do good for the souls of their children.
Parents’ thoughts are dominated by providing for the physical well-being of their children. As our children grow up, there is a never-ending quest for larger clothes and shoes. Sniffles, coughs and fevers make us pack up the children and off we go to doctors and drugstores.
We want to protect them from ill-intentioned people, traffic, trees with inviting limbs and a host of other things, but is there the same care for the child’s soul? We need to bring them to Jesus in the home and at church. We must use every opportunity to bring our children to Jesus for His blessing.
Jesus loves children and their childish approach to Him. It is, after all, the nature of a person who is going to heaven.
The Savior has done everything needed for our salvation. We are undeserving of it, but we must believe He died for our sins. Ask for His forgiveness. Come to Him in humility and He will be kind to you. He will save you.
