At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who ,then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said. . . “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:1,2,5)

With no other age of people did Jesus identify himself as he did with children. He himself came as a child and lived the life of a child in the home of Joseph and Mary, along with his siblings. Since we know very little of that time in his life, it’s easy to forget the son of God as a child, but Advent draws us closer every year, and it’s a rich and important connection to Jesus. When he was grown, Jesus felt parental toward the people of Jerusalem: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem. . . how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings”. . . ( Matthew 23:37)

One day when our daughter Stephanie was only four years old she came in from playing outside, carrying a gray tabby kitten. “The man down the street gave it to me,” she said. I walked with her back to our neighbor four houses down, and asked if it was his kitten. “No,” he said. “That’s not mine. That kitten belongs to anyone who wants it.” I said, “Sir, this kitten lives here and you are caring for it.” “No!!” he answered. “If you don’t want it I’ll throw it into the street!” At that Stephanie started to cry and I knew that we had acquired a cat.

Scuffy the kitten had big ears and paws , and I thought that he would probably grow to be quite big, which he eventually did. He was a good companion to Stephanie, and slept in her room and loved being petted. When Stephanie was in high school and we began to foster young children, Scuffy was a great help in their adjustment to our home. Sometimes I felt that he was the only comfort a child had, and he seemed to know that, too.

Not everyone has known the truth of children’s value in the eyes of God. Jesus knew, and Mary and Joseph knew. The psalmist knew when he wrote, Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring, a reward from Him. (Psalm 127:3) Jesus came into the world as a child; Jesus, the very Word of God (John 1;1) was a wordless infant, just as every one of us once was. In Advent we think of the children more than ever. It’s a fun time, and a holy time as we prepare to celebrate God’s priceless gift. It’s a time when we tap the child within us and those among us to receive the blessing of God Himself.

Love in Him,

Prue