One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)The apostles could be officious little twerps on occasion.
Here Jesus was teaching and talking and doing “important” stuff, they figured. And people kept bringing kids to him, bothering him. After all, he had more vital things to do than just to bless some little kids.
So the apostles thought they would run interference for him and keep out some of the people that kept on keeping him from his important work.
That made Jesus mad. Here was a group of people who wanted nothing more than to be with him. There is nothing quite like kids on your lap.
And Jesus got angry with his apostles. Quit that, he said, and let the kids come. It is the spirit that is in these kids that is what God wants in his disciples. Furthermore, Jesus said, unless you get like them, you can’t go to heaven.
Then he blessed the kids, took them in his arms, held them, tickled them, played with them. The mighty Lord of the universe, playing peek-a-boo with a baby, holding a little girl’s doll and asking its name, moving some Ninja Turtles around with a little boy. He discussed things of vital importance to a three year old, things like a bug he had seen.
These were real people. Everyone else wanted something from Jesus. These kids just liked him and wanted to be near him.
It is when we just want to be near him, to be near God that our prayer is the best. We are not asking for anything, or wanting anything other than just being near him and loving him.
That is the best thing a child can give an adult: just love.
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