Jesus Welcomes Children
Then the people brought their little children to Jesus so that he could put his hands on them and pray for them. When his followers saw this, they told the people to stop bringing their children to Jesus. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children.” After Jesus put his hands on the children, he left there.
Matthew 19:13-15 (ICB)
Below are several questions and statements between a child and his grandmother. This devotion is not meant to be a tale of funny or quirky things that kids say. This is a reminder of how serious it is to be prepared to answer any child who asks questions about faith in Christ.
Today’s devotion is set up in a Q & A style with scripture links that I have added to verify the grandmother’s responses.
Notice how brief her responses were. They were age appropriate. She relied on the Holy Spirit and God’s Word that was in her heart.
The conversation began when the boy used inappropriate language.
Q: “Why is it a sin to say something like ‘the flippin’ shoe?”
A: “Because our words show what is really inside our heart. Our words are meant to reveal our love for Jesus and others. When we use bad words, it reveals ugliness in our hearts and dishonors Jesus.”
Ephesians 4:29 (ICB) – James 3:9-12 (ICB)
Q. “But if I didn’t mean it like that then it isn’t a curse word.”
A. “I’ve done that before, too, with that very word. But I knew what it really meant. If we keep God’s Word in our hearts, we will know what offends Him.”
James 1:9 (ICB) – Proverbs 17:27-29 (ICB) – Ephesians 5:4 (ICB)
Q. “But I don’t sin.”
A. “Everyone sins, including those who love Jesus. The difference is that those who have Him in their hearts are forgiven. He promises to remove our sins so completely that He doesn’t remember them.”
Romans 3:23 (ICB) – Psalm 103 (ICB)
Q. “Yes, but Jesus is God so it wasn’t hard for Him.”
A. “Jesus was God but He came to earth as a man. So, because Jesus was a human being he had aches and pains, he got sad, he was lonely, and he was tempted to sin, but He never, ever did.
And, when Jesus was crucified, He didn’t want to be hurt. He didn’t want to have all of our sins put on Him or for God to turn away from Him. But He did it to obey God, the Father and He did it because he loved us so much. So, He chose to be with us and make a way that people could be forgiven.”
John 3:16& 17 (ICB) – Luke 22:42 (ICB) – Matthew 26:39 (ICB)
Q. “Well, I am a Christian. I love Jesus. I just don’t want to get baptized because I am afraid of water.”
A. “Sometimes it is hard to not be afraid. But the Spirit in your heart can help you. But one day, as Jesus helps you grow in your heart, you will want to be baptized because you will understand more about what He did for you. But you can still be a Christian and not get baptized.”
Luke 12:32 (ICB) – Matthew 28:19-20 (ICB) – Colossians 2:12 (ICB)
Q. “Why didn’t Satan get a second chance like I did?”
A. “Satan was not like us; he was an angel. The Bible tells us he is against God and the father of lies. This should encourage you to be honest and try to be more like Jesus, not Satan. Everyone lies at times, but Christians should seek God’s forgiveness and not stay sad or feel guilty because they sin. Just trust God because He loves you.”
Q. “I want to always be a kid in Heaven.”
A. “We don’t know for sure about that, but the Bible tells us that we will be recognized by people who knew us before.”
1 Corinthians 13:12 (ICB)
Q. “Do I look like God?”
A. “The Bible says we are made in the image of God. But that is not a physical feature. We are made to look like God’s goodness. So, we should look loving, kind, joyful, patient, and all of those things. Those good things are called character qualities.”
John 4:24 (ICB) – Galatians 5:23 (ICB)
Q. “Are there really three of them?”
A. “Yes. The Father is your Creator. The Son is your co-Creator with the Father and the Savior. The Spirit is your Comforter and He does many other things, too.
A. “Well, I know that is how Jesus lives in my heart, but how does the Spirit fit.”
Q. “Think about it. A Spirit is not a person but the Spirit of God in your thoughts and attitude. Your Spirit is what makes you who you are. When we say the Spirit lives in your heart, we mean in your soul and mind. It can be hard to understand, but believing is what matters. That is all it takes to know Jesus and be a Christian. It is a free gift from God if you want it and receive it.”
Q. “Why do angels have wings and robes?”
A. “Only the angels called cherubim and seraphim are described as having wings.The Bible doesn’t tell us how all of the other angels look.”
Hebrews 1:14 (ICB) – Exodus 25:20 (ICB) – Isaiah 6 (ICB)
Tell a child in your world about Jesus and His love.
International Children’s Bible (ICB)
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 