Photo by Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare
Rockabye Jesus by Teresa Haven Pelinski is a story of Jesus and children and the remarkable and enduring connection they both have as the Messiah and the future inheritors of heaven.
A child cries at the side of a busy street. She is looking for her parents, who are nowhere to be found. Everyone else just passes her by, ignoring her pleas. Christ emerges from the crowd, his disciples following him. He approaches the child and asks her why she cries. She says she misses her parents. In his kindness and mercy, Christ takes her hand and leads her to look for her parents. This is a story of Jesus and the children.
As I kneel before Christ inside my local church, sunlight streams through stained glass. It paints vibrant squares on the wooden floor, worn from countless feet treading upon it. The scent of the trees outside mingles with the quiet murmur of a Sunday morning congregation. I stand up, preparing to get some air, but my gaze is drawn to the depiction of Jesus blessing children behind the altar. It’s a familiar scene, etched in the minds of billions for centuries, yet its depth never ceases to astonish me.
Christ and Children
In a world preoccupied with power and prestige, Christians should choose to elevate the vulnerable and innocent. Christ saw worth in the unassuming eyes of children, recognizing a pureness of spirit often obscured by the complexities of adulthood. His interactions with them weren’t mere photo ops or fleeting moments of sentimentality; they were profound lessons woven into the fabric of his teachings.
One such lesson unfolds in Mark 10:13-16. Parents, eager for their children to receive Jesus’ blessing, are met with resistance from the disciples. But Jesus, ever the champion of the marginalized, rebukes them, saying, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” He then scoops a child into his arms, his touch radiating tenderness and acceptance.
In this simple act, Jesus dismantles hierarchies and redefines greatness. He declares that the kingdom of God isn’t reserved for the powerful or the learned but for those who possess the childlike qualities of humility, openness, and trust. He reminds us that true greatness lies not in worldly achievements but in the purity of our hearts.
But Jesus’ relationship with children wasn’t limited to pronouncements and pronouncements. He also used them as living metaphors, their playful innocence illuminating profound truths. In Matthew 18:2-5, he calls a child to stand before his disciples and declares, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.”
Here, Jesus challenges our tendency to overcomplicate life. He urges us to shed the cynicism and jadedness that often accumulate with age and embrace the simple wonder that children possess. He reminds us that faith isn’t about intellectual arguments or theological debates but about a childlike openness to the mysteries of the universe.
The Messiah and the Inheritors of Heaven
The image of Jesus with children transcends religious boundaries. It speaks to a universal yearning for innocence, for a return to a time when the world was filled with unadulterated joy and boundless curiosity. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of turmoil and darkness, the light of hope can be found in the eyes of a child.
So, the next time you encounter a child, take a moment to pause. Look beyond the tantrums and messy faces and see the reflection of Jesus’ message. See the potential for unconditional love, boundless faith, and unbridled joy. Nurture these qualities within yourself, and perhaps, just perhaps, you, too, will catch a glimpse of the kingdom of Heaven.
And as I leave the church, the weight of the world seems a little lighter. The stained glass figures shimmer with renewed meaning, and the scent of incense now carries a hint of hope. Perhaps, just like the children Jesus welcomed, we can all open our hearts and find our way back to that place of childlike wonder, where love reigns supreme, and the kingdom of Heaven lies within reach.
Remember, the kingdom of Heaven is open to all, regardless of age or circumstance. So let us approach life like the children Jesus embraced with open hearts and childlike wonder and, together, build a world where love and compassion reign supreme.
The Happy Hammock 