The social and spiritual health of a nation, society, religion, and city can be determined by how their children are faring. Children fare well when they learn love, respect, faith, and discipline from their parents, family, and neighbors (Ephesians 6:4, Colossians 3:21; Hebrews 12:7-11). When children see their parents love and respect God and each other, they have obtained a storehouse full of treasure that no one can steal. When their parents, family, and neighbors point children to Jesus, they are shown the gates to the city of righteousness, well-being, and eternity.
People often brought little children and babies to Jesus to be blessed (Matthew 18:2-4, 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16). The disciples were busy doing crowd control for the group traveling with them to Jerusalem for the Passover was large (17:11). When they saw the parents bringing babies to Jesus, they strictly forbade (harshly rebuked) them to do that. They believed Jesus had way more important things to do than touch babies. (Look of the meaning of the original Greek word “brephos”. It will surprise you.) The disciples were more like the heartless judge and egotistical Pharisee than the persistent widow and humble tax collector in the former two parables.
Jesus allowed the babies to be brought to him and used the incident as a lesson to the disciples. He had taught them this before, but they had obviously forgotten. Jesus taught that “…the kingdom of God belongs to such as these…. Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Simply, Jesus is saying they want to come to the King, the reason for the kingdom of God. Let them come.
David’s short Psalm 131 says, “My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.”
