The Kingdom of Heaven Belongs to Children

AM Psalm 89:1-18 • PM Psalm 89:19-52
Num. 16:1-19 • Rom. 3:21-31 • Matt. 19:13-22

When we speak of changing the world and doing great works for the betterment of our community, quite a number of paths immediately come to mind. But I say there is one great thing anyone can do to better our future: teach children. May it be in schools or at home, children are our future, learning every new detail, and gaining understanding on how to navigate society and the world though parents, teachers, and community members. We want what’s best for children as they are our successors, they will be the ones the create a new world.

In this week’s reading we get a brief story of people bringing children to Jesus in hopes that he may lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked, in what I imagine was not out of malice but out of concern for their Teacher. Jesus, seeing these children, taught others not to hinder them or block their path towards Jesus.

Of all the minds and hearts changed by Jesus’ teachings, children are the most important. Children can learn from an early age the importance of empathy, caring for others, and fighting for a just world. Children are not yet plagued by greed and violence and hatred so often enforced in our society by outdated ideas and prejudices. We need not spend a lifetime for them to unlearn harmful behaviors and ideas, but simply provide them the space and ability to grow and learn the best parts of our world. When we teach love and kindness to children, they can take these teachings with them into the world they inherit and craft something amazing. They can be an extension of God’s love when they inherit the Earth if we teach them compassion, kindness, and understanding.

Written by Danica Hawthorne

...who seeks to better understand the teachings of Christ and aid the community through Christian works and political activism.