“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, unless you receive the kingdom of God as a little child you will never enter it.”

                                    Mark 10:14-16

I hope that when kids who were members of any church I have pastored grow up, they’ll remember that they had a pastor who knew them and loved them. And who realized one day that he needed those kids much more than they needed him.

You see, there are times we all grow too big for our britches. “Get above our raisings”, as Lester and Earl and all the Foggy Mountain Boys used to sing. And when that happens, it keeps us from God. What kids have going for them is that they are small, and they know it. Faith comes easily to them. Once in a while it would do us good to find a little one at church, get down on one knee, look them in the eye, and say, “When I grow up, I want to be little like you.” Because that’s what happens when we are born again.

Every Sunday morning, I sneak away from adult conversations and complaints to find a child to talk to, much more for my sake than theirs. It’s not healthy for a Christian, especially a Christian leader, to miss every opportunity we have to be around children.  Children disciple us if we have ears to hear and eyes to see.

One day in my office a 4-year-old and her mother stopped by, and before they left, I asked if we could pray. Immediately the little girl said, “I’ll pray!” And I thought that was awesome. But I had no idea how awesome until she taught this 61-year-old preacher how to pray.

In a soft, little voice, she started. “Dear God ….” And in that moment, as she began to pray, I realized that she had totally forgotten anyone else was in the room except for her and God. In her mind, only Jesus was listening.  I don’t think I’ve ever been in a more reverent and holy place than when that child was talking with God. Instead of patting her on the head and telling her how wonderful she did when she finished, or smiling at how cute she was, the truth was I was a little envious. Closing out everyone and everything around her, she talked privately with her God with the heart of a child. Just like He told us to do.  

I know that she’s better off because of that prayer. She communicated with God at the most basic and intimate level. But do you know what? I’m better off too. That’s what happens when you witness someone receiving the kingdom of God as a little child.

Lord, help us to remember that no matter how many years we live, we are still your children. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.