If we see Jesus as the “perfect reflection of God” (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3) we have to come face to face with God’s view of children, through Jesus Himself. This is harder than it seems. Most of us know that it’s not right to take children away from parents and jail them. However, do we know that Jesus never quoted the “spare the rod/spoil the child” verse from Proverbs 13:24? Or that Jesus extolled children as spiritual role models? That some of his most violent judgement imagery was in response to those who hurt children?
Somehow we discount that Jesus, as a single male, can tell us about kids. (Surely, the patriarchal Old Testament dads like King Solomon knew better, we somehow think.) But it might be that some non-parents have a better window into reality because they see more objectively. And certainly the Son of God might be seeing something that the rest of us too easily miss.
Jesus Respected Kids
Children inspired Jesus in a different way than adults. He indicates that He sees adults as lacking in righteousness in Mark 10:18 when He says to the rich man, “Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.” (I believe it is safe to assume that the subject is about adults, because the audience is adults). And Jesus refers to adult sinfulness when John records, “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need human testimony about them, for he knew what was in them” (John 2:24). Yet, Jesus did not denote that He saw children in that way, and indicates elsewhere quite the opposite.
When The Twelve appropriately (for the culture) turned some children and their parents away from Jesus’ ministry, Jesus rebuked them by saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Mt. 19:14; Mk. 10:14; Lk. 18:16). All three synoptic gospels record what Jesus said, with the same wording. It must have made quite an impression on the disciples. And Jesus never once extolled any group of adults with such amazing spiritual praise.
True Repentance Starts Here
Perhaps Jesus called to mind Malachi’s prophecy, “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents, or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” It is compelling that Malachi presents parents’ and children’s hearts toward one another as the primary sign of repentance. And of course, a child’s heart toward her parent begins with the parent, not the child.
Jesus thought children did not have much changing to do. They had already achieved greatness by being who they are. When the disciples asked Jesus, “’Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” Jesus “called a little child, whom he placed among them. And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven'” (Mt. 18:1).
Never Despise Children
And lest we think Jesus was all about similes and metaphors here, Jesus adds, “And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Mt. 18:5). And a bit later, he warns, “See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (Mt. 18:10).
Later, in the temple, children shout “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and the chief priests and teachers of the law complain to Jesus, “’Do you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus says, “’Yes. Have you never read ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise?’” (Mt. 21:14-16; Ps. 8:2). Jesus connects children with proper spirituality again and again.
Lastly, and I think those leading our nation really needs this one, Jesus warns those who hurt kids: “Rather than make one of these little ones who believe in me stumble, it would be better to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck” (Mk. 9:42). Not a pretty picture.
It’s not too late for any of us to listen to Jesus about how to treat a child.