Surgical Spirit: Children Welcome

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 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. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

As a junior doctor I was not great at Paediatrics. It all felt rather veterinary: you took a history from the owner and then examined a small resisting creature that could possibly bite. I also found children terrifying when they were really ill; they seemed to deteriorate with alarming speed. They would not swallow medicine or lie quietly in bed; they were never in awe of your qualifications or grateful when you saved their life. They were not my favourite patient-group.

We know from our reading that Jesus welcomed children. He was not too busy for them or irritated by their prattle. He took them in his arms and blessed them. Do we love children as Jesus did? I am not talking about our own children – Jesus did not have any biological children – I am talking about other people’s!

Children are scary – especially in these days of safeguarding and appalling revelations of historical abuse. Churches should have robust policies to protect the vulnerable and we need to be wise in the way we relate to all young people. Nevertheless, there are children in my church, on my street, children of friends and extended family. Does my obedience to Christ’s command to “love your neighbour as yourself” extend to next-door’s annoying children who keep kicking their football against my fence?

All of us can remember those who were kind to us as children – and those who were not. Even now, fifty years on, I smile thinking about one old lady at church who knitted an outfit for my plastic doll and another who gave me sixpence (this was the 1960s). Riches!

Sunday School may not be your forte and your gifting may be in other vital areas of ministry, but every believer can love and pray for the children they know.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, you are the author and giver of life. Thank you for the children in my life (name some of them). Protect them, I pray, from all the ideologies of this godless age, and from physical and emotional harm. Embrace them, as your Son embraced the children in Judea, across the Jordan (Mark 10:1), and bring them into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord. Amen.

Ruth Eardley is a GP and member of Affinity partner Little Hill Church, Leicester. She writes a regular piece for her church entitled ‘Surgical Spirit’. We have been given permission to reproduce some of them. This is her latest contribution.