Matthew 18
October 30, 2014

Three thoughts from 18:1-9.
Innocence, teachability and humility are all part of childhood.   Jesus isn't saying that we should act immature, but rather we should view our heavenly father in the way that we looked up to adults when we were children.  This illustration could be tricky if the adults in your life were abusive or absent.   Think of what a healthy relationship between a father and child would be like and model the part of the child.   We have right to expect to be taken care of.  Jesus, as our father will teach us, guide us and comfort us when we are afraid.  He also chastises us when we need it, and punishes us when we have done something wrong.  But His love for us is unlimited and never withdrawn.    We don't have to goo and babble as if we were children, but even as adult children we can always go to Jesus for love, support, comfort and a listening ear.

Jesus shifts focus slightly to how children are to be treated.   The child he had his hand on was being used to illustrate a point, but now the child becomes the point.   In this passage we learn once again that children have a special place in the Father's heart.   So do the elderly, the sick, the weak and the poor.    Taking advantage of any of them is foolhardy.

They say that child abusers are tortured in prison by the other prisoners.   Jesus reflects some of the same sentiment when he talks about people who cause children not to believe in Him.   Consider that Jesus sees failure to teach the kids about Him the same as physically hurting them.   That's really serious.

This should motivate us to teach our children, and to make sure they are taught in Sunday School and other places about Jesus Christ.


PR