I once was lost – among Children
“I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel's mourners” – Isa 57:18
Learning never ends. As a young person, as a growing person, as a living being, always keep your mind open to learn. I am currently meditating on reaching out with the gospel message to people whose language I don’t understand! I need to learn their language first; then I’ll be able to share a message. What do you need to learn? Are you growing in learning? This is what will keep you alive. Today’s Scripture passage from Isaiah 57:14-19 climaxes in hope from our God for a people who walked in sin for a long time and were punished by God; their hope unfolds in verse 18 where God speaks confidently: ‘I will heal them’. I turn this hope to those who are repenting of ‘ignorance’ or repenting of ‘stopping to learn’. The disciples kept inquisitive, seeking to learn. Think about the disciples who were researching on who will be ‘the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven’.
Jesus Christ is the greatest source of learning, and thank God He was available to answer the disciples’ question. He amazed them with his answer the question on greatness. “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3). I am sure the disciples did not imagine this kind of answer could pass for that important question. Yet Jesus Christ made this important revelation for our educations – that in that little Child is the example of lowliness that is required to be great in the Kingdom. He used the opportunity to further draw us to love and care for children.
There is great need for us to pay close attention to children, not just for the sake of learning how to become great in the Kingdom of heaven, but to also carry out our responsibilities of caring for one another and caring for them. In this generation, it is real hard work; there are many enemies to fight – the cartoons that need to be put in right context, the misleading examples in the media that need to be explained so that children do not imitate… much work is needed to care for children today. When John Newton quit slave trade and turned to Christ, one of his deepest expressions of repentance and reformation was his hymn ‘Amazing grace’. He literally was lost in all those voyages, but when he was found by Jesus Christ he regretted and received the hope and renewal.
Are you lost when it comes to dealing with children? Do you not see in them the lesson and example of greatness as expressed by our Lord Jesus Christ? There is hope, and this is an opportunity for you to revisit your position and value these little children of God who are a gift to us for responsible stewardship. God bless you.