“And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them” (Mark 10:13-16).
“I know what you’re thinking.” “No, really, I know what you’re thinking.” How often have you said that before? “I know what you’re thinking—you’re thinking, ‘you don’t know what I’m thinking.’” Am I right? But, you know what is interesting, you know who says these words and who doesn’t? As adults, we say this frequently, if not with our mouths, then with our time and attention. We say it to our children: “before you say another word, I know what you’re thinking.” With older children, teenagers, and even younger than that, they say the same thing, with body language, eye rolls, and the inevitable tune-out. “I know what you’re thinking” is as much a sign of intellectual and emotional development as it is a preemptive response by a highly intuitive person (at best) or an annoying know-it-all at worse. And isn’t it always fun and satisfying when someone says that to you, and they’re wrong! “I know what you’re thinking.” “Oh, yeah, then tell me.” “You’re thinking this about me.” “Hah, you’re wrong.” (not just, “you’re wrong”, but “you’re WRONG!”). Of course when they’re right, you tell them they’re wrong anyway.
But you know who doesn’t say, “I know what you’re thinking?” Paidion. I know what you’re thinking. “What is paidion.” This is a paidion (go to little child). Paidion was in that time the term generally accepted for the second stage of life, a child through the nursing age, which could have been anywhere up to 2-5 years of age. In other words little children, small children, babies, and yes, even infants. And so, as we begin our time in what we are calling the Game of Life, looking at what God has to say to us about the different stages in our lives, there is no better place to start than with paidion—little children.
Do you know why little children, paidion, don’t say “I know what you’re thinking,”? Because they generally don’t! They are still learning, growing, absorbing. They’re still learning to think for themselves, let alone interpret what others are thinking. This reality is often thought of as innocence, truthfulness. You know what they say, “out of the mouths of babes!” Why? Because they haven’t mastered the thought of how you might think about what they say. Brenda tells me she starts each year with her preschool parents by telling them, “I won’t believe half of what they tell me about you if you don’t believe half of what they tell you about me.” It’s not necessarily because they are being untruthful, in fact quite the opposite, it’s just that they are still learning to put things together and without perspective and experience, that can be a little challenging.
So, contrast the thinking of a paidion with that of the disciples in Mark: “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.” The disciples assumed to know what Jesus was thinking. That He was busy, that He had lots of important things to say, that He had Pharisees to set straight, the sick to be healed, the lost to be saved, and disciples to be taught. He didn’t have time for kids’ stuff. He didn’t even have time for the kids, for the children, for the paidion.
So, in a complete reversal of what was happening, Jesus rebukes them, and in essence tells them, “I know what you’re thinking.” In fact, it’s interesting that on every occasion that the Bible records for us that Jesus knows “what they’re thinking,” be it the disciples or those who challenged Him, it is when the thoughts they have are not good. And here is no different. In fact, Jesus is indignant, not just about what they are doing, and not just about what they are thinking about the children, but honestly, what they are thinking about themselves. “‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”
These words were not just spoken to them about generalities of the Kingdom of God, but specifically to their way of thinking. And like the disciples, as soon as we think we know it all, when we become so bold as to preempt God’s own thoughts, then, we actually find ourselves on the outside, looking in to the Kingdom of God. Instead of learning what God is trying to teach us and show us, we become presumptive, narrow, some might say “pig headed or fool hearty,” but what we do is put up a barrier, a wall to what God is trying to show us and teach us. To truly receive the Kingdom of God, we must truly be paidion, children.
When we look at this verse in Scripture, there are lots of things to consider about children. There is their trust, their total dependence on others, their joy, their eagerness to learn, their humility, their simple approach to life, and discernment of what is truly important. All of those things are very true and are no doubt part of what Jesus is saying. But there is also something to be said for the great importance of not approaching God and His kingdom with a heart and attitude that says, “I know,” but rather with one that says, “teach me, show me.”
The disciples, in lifting up Jesus’ importance before the children, and portending to know what he was thinking and what He would want, actually revealed more about their own sense of their own importance than Jesus’!
Now, don’t misunderstand. The disciples were very important to Jesus, as each and every person is no matter their age. Each person is so important to Jesus that He was willing and did go to the cross to suffer in their, in our, in my place. Jesus suffered the punishment of our sin and thereby and forever established the importance and value of each person in this world. He loved us enough, loved the whole world enough that He came into this world so that whoever would believe in Him, would not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. And that includes paidion, little children, and even those younger.
In Luke 18:15, there is a parallel account of Jesus and the little children. There it says they were bringing even “brephos” to them. I know what you are thinking, “what is a brephos?” A brephos is a newborn baby, even an unborn baby—this was widely considered the first stage in life. In Luke 1, it is a brephos that leaps in Elizabeth’s womb at being in the mere presence of his savior, who at the time is also a brephos. And interestingly, it is from his brephos, that Timothy learned the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15), and it is like a brephos that we should crave the Word of God and grow in salvation from it (1 Peter 2:2).
That should tell us all we need to know about the value of our children to God and to His Kingdom, from the time of their conception, through their time in the womb, to their birth, through those years in which they toddle and wobble around and with eyes wide open, with hearts wide open, listen and learn and receive the Kingdom that God has prepared for them. This is why we baptize our babies and our children. It is why we champion the sanctity of life and are not afraid to speak out against abortion, not for political reasons, but because God Himself shows us the importance of these children and rebukes those who would keep them from coming to Him. It is why we have them sit here in worship with their families and learn. It is why we have been working hard to nurture and grow our children’s ministry. It is why we have been placing an emphasis on our preschool. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, unborn, newborn, terrible twos, terrifying threes, Jesus loves them and wants us to be like them. He wants them to be with Him in His kingdom.
In fact, that is why He said the words He did in Matthew 18:5-6. Those are strong words. They are words that impress the importance of God’s admonition to Israel in Deuteronomy 6 concerning their children and His affirmation of the care Eunice and Lois showed to young Timothy. But, just as important is what these words say to you. Are you a learner from God or do you think you know it already? Do you see yourself and your wants and your desires, your importance above others, including the children whom we are serving and reaching, the children who are being brought to us? What is it that God is saying to you today through these words of Jesus? Not what you think you already know, but with a child-like heart and spirit, what is it our Lord is saying to you, affirming in you, challenging you? Even more importantly, what will be your response? How will it affect your life and your relationship with Him?
Perhaps, now, I know one thing you might be thinking—there’s a lot for me to think about and a lot for me to learn. Well, join the club with me, and let us learn together like little children. Amen.
Rev. John Davis is senior pastor at Memorial Lutheran Church, Katy, Texas.