Mark 10:14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (NIV)
I like to see children at worship services on Sunday mornings. Their presence gives hope to the older generations in the congregation. Over the years, I spent a lot of time getting to know the names of the children at church and enjoyed sharing my Bible artwork with them. On Sunday mornings, I used to produce a coloring page for the church kids which they seemed to enjoy. I felt it was an effective way of teaching the faith to them and as a means of encouraging them to create their own art.
Years ago, I decided to set up an art site which other churches could use for their own congregations and children’s classes on Sundays. Hundreds of churches all over the world use my artwork each week which means that thousands of kids are being taught the faith with the drawings that the Spirit inspires me to create. If you want to see some of my drawings, you can visit the website at this link: https://stushieart.com/.
Children were important to Jesus, too. Today’s Gospel story from Mark 10 recalls a moment when the disciples tried to stop some mothers and their children approaching Jesus. They knew He was tired and needed to rest, so instead of taking the mums and kids to where Jesus was relaxing, they turned them away. When Jesus saw what was happening, He was not pleased and so He rebuked the disciples for being so uncaring. Christ welcomed the children because He loved them, for to Him they epitomized the best qualities of the Kingdom of Heaven. It was a lesson that the disciples never forgot and one which Christian congregations should still practice today by welcoming all children in their churches.
Point to ponder: How are children welcomed in the congregation I attend?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, remind us of the importance of children in our midst, at church, in school, and within our community. Help us to value them and share our faith by welcoming their families and accepting them unconditionally in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
John Stuart is a Scottish Presbyterian pastor living in Knoxville, Tennessee.
