Mark 10:13-16 – Lessons from the young

In reading the Scriptures, we know that our Lord gave dignity and honor to women. Here in these few verses, we see Him bringing dignity and honor to children. Verses 13-16 tell us that parents were bringing their children to the Lord Jesus so that He could bless their young ones. Understandably so, because everyone wants their children to do well in life. What better way than to have them blessed by the Master of life.

The disciples tried to prevent the parents from bringing their children to the Lord. Their reason: to protect the Lord from these bothersome children. Like these blundering disciples, many don’t see the magnitude of having children know the Lord from young. We supposed they are still too young and immature to be introduced to the Lord. This idea has negative effects because loving the Lord is a process that needs cultivation from young. We can understand why the Lord was upset with the disciples. So we are told that He rebuked them. In the English translation we see a gentler response from Him. In the original language, the text carries a much sharper response from the Lord. He was seen to be upset and indignant. So He sternly chided the disciples. He was telling them harshly not to do that. The disciples were bluntly told not to prevent the children from coming to Him, for to such children belong the Kingdom of God. To enforce what He said, the Lord brought the children near and blessed them.  

The disciples were well-meaning but they were drastically wrong.  It’s not Jesus who needed protection. It’s the children who need to be protected from adults who could hinder them from coming to God. Conscious of it or not, as parents, we have a great influence in the life of our children in their formative years. What we do can help them draw closer to the Lord or push them further away from Him. What these parents did were right. It’s needful to introduce our children to the Lord when they are still young. The habit of loving the Lord, formed when they are young, will take them a long way in life.

Another significant lesson from this few verses is the qualities of child-likeness. Notice the word is child-likeness not childishness. There are several virtues in children that would do us well to emulate in our faith life. Firstly, children are by nature uncomplicated. They are very simple and without guile. This is evident in the directness they bring to everything. A child would merely express what’s on his mind. Secondly, children are inquisitive and would ask honest questions. In them we see curiosity and a sense of wonderment. They just want to get to the bottom of everything. Thirdly they are by nature obedient till they are inculcated otherwise. They would usually take what their parents say unquestioningly. These are the qualities our Lord probably had in mind for us, who want to experience the richness of God’s Kingdom. Like young children, we need to come in simplicity. We need to come to Him with an ever searching and anticipating heart and we need to come with a deep desire and readiness to obey and carry out His instruction.  

So parents, let’s do all we can to ensure that our children are brought to the Lord when they are still young. So that when they are older they will not depart from the way. Let’s also approach our Lord, in our journey of faith with Him, in such childlike simplicity, directness and obedience!