The Church’s View of Children: applying Jesus' attitudes

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." -Mark 10:14

The church of today should take a hard look at the manner in which we minister to children. Like Jesus, are we glad to have them with us, or are we bothered by the noise and clamor that often follows them? A congregation that seeks to be relevant will strive to make their church a place where children are always welcome.

Looking out across the congregation on Sunday morning, if I see mothers holding infants in their arms, it is truly a wonderful sight. During the sermon if I hear a baby crying I am not bothered in the least. In fact, it is music to my ears. The presence of children in the worship time is a sign of life, and where there is life the potential for growth is present.

A dear lady once told me the following story. Some years earlier she was attending a church in another community. One Sunday evening a young mother came into the worship service bringing her four small children ranging in ages from around five on down to an infant. During the sermon the children became restless and would not sit still. The baby in the mother’s arms began to cry and would not stop. The pastor finally leaned over the pulpit and asked the mother if she would please try to keep her children quiet. The young mother sat for a moment, and then gathering her children around her she rose from her seat and led them down the aisle and out the back door of the church. She was never seen nor heard from again.

This sad story illustrates the missed opportunities of failing to reach out to the children in our midst. If I accomplish nothing else as a pastor, my prayer is that I will bestow a blessing upon the children with whom I come into contact, including my own.

Jesus said that when we welcome a child into our lives it is as if we had welcomed Him. The Lord instructed the disciples not to hinder the little children, but to let them come unto Him.

Are our churches, homes, and hearts places where these, the least of our brethren, are welcome? If not, then let us take definitive steps to open up to them. Learning to see children as the sacred and valuable persons they are can enrich our lives in some incredible ways. If we can learn to have child-like faith and laugh as often as a child does, then truly we will be happier people for it.

(From, "The Invitation: Embracing a Happier Life," by Dan Birchfield, copyright 2009)