1.2. A vision of the children

Let the little children come to me

By José Bernardo

The Word of God is the first thing we see when we look through our spiritual telescope. God reigns sovereign, and everything reflects his word and good will. It is as the psalmist said: “The earth is filled with your love, Lord; teach me your decrees.” Psalms 119:64. Then, when such powerful light concentrates, what do we see? We see people hearing the Word of God. Who are they?

Cornelia Pointing at Her Children as Her Treasures. Angelica Kauffman,1785. 

John describes how the Jews would not believe in Jesus, even after he performed so many signs (John 12:37-50). Paul also explained to the Romans why the Israelites did not believe in the Good News (Rm 10:16-21). Both repeated the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Isaiah 53:1. Very few people see, hear and experience the Word of God, repent and get saved. However, about children, Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these…” Mark 10:13-16. What strong colors Matthew, Mark and Luke used in the original language to paint this scene! People brought children to Jesus so he could light them up. The disciples spoke as if they were saying something of great value. Jesus felt like he was bending over in terrible pain. He told the disciples to release and not mutilate the children, and affirmed that the Government of God exists for people who are like little children.

Once again we see a passage teaching that not all people receive the Good News. A very specific kind of people are able to see, hear and experience the Gospel. The key to understand who they are is in the expression “…such as these…”. Children do not exactly own the Kingdom, but they have characteristics that allow them, and everybody that has the same characteristics, to be under the ruling of the Almighty King. Again, those characteristics are in the text, implicit in two words: “Let…” and “…do not hinder…”. The root for the word ‘hinder’ in Greek is to curtail, to punish or impede by mutilating. The whole idea is that unless children are mutilated, if they are released, they will come to Jesus, they will submit to his kingship, and that is the Gospel. 

The SUPER20 research on the growth of the Brazilian church shows that 77% of all conversions used to happen when people were under 24 years of age. The largest group was from 11 to 17 years old, which represents 32.7% of the total. People in these age groups are the ones like children; they would be naturally attracted by the Lord once they are released and not mutilated. Let the children come!

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Jose Bernardo is the OneHope vice-president for lusophone countries. OneHope is a global agency of the Bible that has worked in 145 countries giving the Word of God to every child.