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But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:16
When we read this Scripture about how Jesus wanted the smallest most innocent humans to come to Him we tend to think He meant only the little ones. We think of toddlers, kindergarteners, and school aged kids. He was telling His disciples in this scene that He wasn’t bothered by the tiny, wiggly squirmy, noisy, busy children who may have likely wanted to hold His hand or crawl up onto His lap. He then told the disciples all people should be like these children in their faith and simply seek and accept His love. Today, I have a different understanding of this verse. It is not just the little ones He calls, but all of us. We are all His children.
There are many older squirmy, restless children. There are children who are seeking Him yet are unaware of Whom they are seeking. We see this in our culture and in our families of today.
Many families struggle. Families may be thrown into battle over what their children believe through popular media and cultural outlets. As our youth struggle, their parents, grandparents, and all who care about them, scratch their heads. Some of our youth are following false teachings. Some are listening to evil theology. Some try substances to alter their feelings and understanding. Some are buying into political propaganda that is squarely against the beliefs of our founding fathers who knew this nation was founded under God and with God.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions 2 Timothy 4:3
And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. Matthew 24: 4-5
Indeed, the very ones, whether child or adult, who follow these culturally popular false teachings are hungry. They are starving for something to believe in that is greater and bigger than their own families, greater than the other adults or institutions in their lives. They look for membership into a group they believe knows “the truth.” They fall in behind others who are encouraging them to break from God, break from Scripture, and break from their families. In some cases, even some parents who want to understand their children begin to accept in these false teachings that say “You are not who God created, you can be anything you want. You can believe what you want. You can do whatever brings you excitement.”
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These individuals are attracted to these false beliefs because they are looking for something. They are searching. They are grasping at anything they hear. They are lost.
To these individuals, God says, “Let the little children come to me…”
For youth who are fighting against their own families, God says, “Let the little children come to me…”
For the ones who ran away from home, God says, “Let the little children come to me…”
For the person sleeping on the sidewalk struggling to know where they are in the haze of drugs, God says, “Let the little children come to me…”
For the person who believes what outsiders are telling them about their own bodies, God says, “Let the little children come to me…”