Dear Gavin

Sometimes it’s hard to remember what it was like being a kid.  Even when I was young, I thought my view of things was pretty “grown-up”.  I worried about my parents getting divorced every time they argued, because I had heard that sometimes happened when parents couldn’t get along (though only a couple kids I knew had divorced parents back then).  I always told my parents, “Good night, I love you” after I got into bed, but I always alternated telling them, mom first one night, then dad first the next, for fear either would think I loved them more.  I remember that I decided I would live in Iceland when I got old enough because I read they had the lowest murder rate in the world.  And though back then I aspired to grow up to be a politician, I wanted to be a senator rather than president, because in those days, they shot you if you were the president.  That’s all kind of sad when I think about it now.  Kids shouldn’t have to worry about such things.  Children’s lives should be spent in simple trust and feeling secure.

That’s why Jesus became so upset when His disciples tried to keep parents from bringing their kids to be near Him:

Then children were brought to Him so He might put His hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them. Then Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this.”  (Matthew 19:13-14)

I find it interesting that most adults feel much “safer” around other adults than children.  Kids scare us!  We never know what they’ll ask us or, scarier still, what they’ll ask us to do with them or for them.  I wouldn’t want a video to surface on YouTube of me doing the Hokey-Pokey, though I have done it at the request of children.  And I believe Jesus would have, too. 

Jesus thought kids were cool.  He didn’t have to wonder if they were planning to be mean to Him later, even though they were acting as though they liked Him now.  It wasn’t children that plotted against Jesus – they loved Him as much as He loved them.  That’s why He wanted them to know these three things and to never forget them:

1.  Jesus wants every child to know Him and love Him, because He knows and loves each one of them.
2.  Heaven is a real place and life there will be like it should be for all kids now – safe, secure, and filled with love.
3. When it sometimes seems like life is difficult, or someone hurts you, or you feel alone, remember Jesus is always there for you.  Always.

 Right after Jesus rebuked His disciples about trying to keep the kids away, He did just the opposite of what they wanted.  Jesus touched each child, and based on the way the Bible says it, He prayed for each and every one.  Can you imagine having the real Jesus put his hand on your shoulder and pray to our Heavenly Father on your behalf?  For those children who were old enough to remember, that experience must have been a treasure to cling to forever. 

Here's the best part.  No matter how old you are today – 10 years old or 110 – if you know Jesus and you trust Him, He is doing the very same thing for you right now.  “Christ Jesus is…at the right hand of God and intercedes (prays) for us.”  (Romans 8:34)  Jesus is thinking about you and praying for you.  Right now.

I wish I had known that when I was ten.  It would have saved a whole lot of worry.

I’m so thankful for faith like a child,

Jacob