Matthew 19:13-17: a reflection

13Then little children were brought to him that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.” 15He laid his hands on them, and departed from there. 16Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” 17He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

People are bringing their little children to Jesus, that he might lay his hands on them and bless them; but the disciples, thinking Jesus too important for such things, rebuke them and try to send them away. Jesus, however, will have none of it: Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. And he takes them in his arms and blesses them. The children the disciples pushed aside, Jesus welcomes.

Notice how differently Jesus regards the children than the disciples did. The disciples saw them as an interruption, unimportant, not worth the Teacher's time; but Jesus welcomed them, blessed them, and said the kingdom belongs to such as these. He valued the little ones the disciples dismissed, and held up childlike faith, its humility, its trust, its dependence, as the very posture in which the kingdom is received.

That teaches us two things. First, that God values those the world, and even the religious, may dismiss as unimportant, the children, the small, the overlooked; Jesus welcomes the ones others push aside. And second, that the kingdom is received not by the proud and self-sufficient, but by those who come with the humble, trusting, dependent faith of a child. Do not despise or dismiss the little ones and the overlooked, whom Jesus welcomes. And do not try to enter God's kingdom by your own importance or self-sufficiency; come as a child, with humble trust and dependence, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Welcome those Jesus welcomes, and receive the kingdom with a child's trusting heart.

Lord Jesus, when the disciples pushed the little children away as an interruption, you welcomed them, blessed them, and said the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Teach me from that. You value those the world, and even the religious, may dismiss as unimportant, the children, the small, the overlooked; you welcome the ones others push aside. Help me not to despise or dismiss the little ones and the overlooked, whom you welcome. And teach me that your kingdom is received not by the proud and self-sufficient, but by those who come with the humble, trusting, dependent faith of a child. Keep me from trying to enter your kingdom by my own importance or self-sufficiency; help me come as a child, with humble trust and dependence, for the kingdom belongs to such as these. Help me welcome those you welcome, and receive your kingdom with a child's trusting heart.