Let the Children Come: The Heart of the Kingdom
Let the Children Come: The Heart of the Kingdom What Does It Mean? In Matthew 19:14, Jesus speaks a word of tender welcome and profound spiritual truth: "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The disciples had been rebuking those who brought children to Jesus, perhaps thinking that He was too busy or too important for such little ones. But Jesus corrected them sharply. He not only welcomed the children but declared that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like them. This moment reveals the heart of Jesus. He was not a distant, unapproachable teacher. He was accessible, tender, and welcoming. Children, who were often considered insignificant in the ancient world, were not only permitted to come to Him but were held up as models of kingdom citizenship. Jesus did not say that the kingdom is for children only but that the kingdom is made up of those who possess childlike qualities: humility,...
