Jesus And The Little Children

I’m Rev. Jay Stuart Glover and you are listening to Faith Talk 

Today I’m lifting up a very well known portion of scripture from the gospel of Mark 10:13-14. This passage is often referred to as 

“The Little Children and Jesus.” The bible says: 

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

     What jumps out to me as being emphatically clear: is that it was  the disciples, the religious men, the students and followers of Jesus, who were the ones who tried to get in the way of children coming to Jesus. 

       The children were being brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and bless them. But the disciples, had  a misunderstanding of what it meant to be followers of Christ. As disciples, they were called to be a reflection of Jesus' values and actions. But in this story,  they actually postured themselves as a barrier to young people experiencing the grace of God in the presence of Jesus. 

This story uses little children to make the point however it also speaks to the reality of a specific type of ministerial malpractice that persists today.  By stopping the children, the disciples remind me of  the tendency of some modern day religious institutions and their leaders who seem to think that they have become  the gatekeepers of the Kingdom of God. In some cases there are  leaders who think they have been appointed to determine who is  worthy of God’s attention and who should be excluded. 

The disciples' actions suggest that they saw the children as unworthy of Jesus' attention—maybe it was because in the eyes of adults children held no economic power in society. 

Metaphorically, the  children in this passage can be seen as representing those who are often overlooked, or devalued by society. In the broader biblical narrative, children and the marginalized symbolize those who are powerless, voiceless, and dependent on others. The disciples, by hindering the children, metaphorically represent the gatekeepers of religious and social systems that exclude those perceived as the other. Jesus' response, however, demonstrates that God’s love and welcome are extended to those society might marginalize.  Whatever their reason was for stopping the children we know that Jesus was strongly dissatisfied with their actions. And we certainly don’t want Jesus to be strongly dissatisfied with the church today for  pious exclusionary practices. 

The Bible says: “14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.”

When Jesus rebukes the disciples, He challenges structures of exclusion within the community of faith. His embrace of the children suggests that the kingdom of God is radically inclusive and strongly values the very people society might dismiss.

You may say come on Rev Glover you know that is not a problem in the church today. But I challenge that proposition. 

   We can learn from the failure of the disciples. We can learn to stay in our lane and not serve as barriers between God and the person seeking God. 

A  primary takeaway from this passage is the call to embrace a spirit of radical inclusion. 

For church leaders today, this passage challenges any inclination to exclude or overlook certain groups of people. Whether based on, age, gender, ethnicity, cultural background or socio- economic status. The church is called to be a place of welcome for all people, especially those who may be marginalized or considered “less significant” by societal standards. Ministries must be intentional about reaching out to those who are often overlooked and ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and valued in the church community.

Children, in the context of Jesus’ day, represented vulnerability, dependence, and powerlessness. By prioritizing children and blessing them, Jesus emphasizes the importance of creating space for the most vulnerable members of society.

Church leaders are called to advocate for and serve those who are often pushed to the edges—whether they be children, the poor, the elderly, refugees, or others in vulnerable positions. Ministries such as children’s programs, community outreach, and social justice efforts should be prioritized to embody Christ’s care for the vulnerable.

I’m Rev. Jay Stuart Glover, and you’ve been listening to Faith Talk. Please don’t forget that this episode is available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, YouTube, and other podcast platforms. Please share with family and friends. 

Thank you for listening, and God bless you.