This portrait I just painted reminds me of the verse "But Jesus said, Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 19:14)* The day Jesus rebuked his disciples with these words, they were in the process of turning the parents with young children away. The disciples may have assumed that infants and young children would distract from Jesus' teaching or perhaps they thought that these little ones were not as important as the adults who had gathered to hear him speak. In any case, they didn't understand the heart of God for children, nor the child-like faith of which Jesus would explain holds an important truth about eternal life.
Matthew 19:13 sets the scene - "Then there were brought unto him little children, that he might put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them." At that time, it was custom for Jewish mothers to bring their children to a Rabbi on their first birthday for a blessing. Perhaps that is why some of these people sought out Jesus on this particular day. Jesus made it clear, however, that children were precious in his sight, that he wanted to bless them, and that no one was to forbid any little ones from coming to him.
On another occasion, when his disciples wanted to know who would be greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus corrected their way of thinking. "Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, Assuredly, I say to you, unless you be converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:2-4)*
Children are needy and dependent, but they also have a great ability to trust and love. These qualities that characterize young children are held up by Jesus as an example of a believer who's heart is right toward God. Those who come to God - who want to receive the gift of eternal life - must do so in childlike faith and humility.
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