My mother says I came home and reported to her that I’d asked Jesus in my heart at an after-school program. With great reverence I said,
“I felt Jesus all over me.”
I love how children explain things that they haven’t tried to express before. In my child-like understanding I knew my life had changed.
A little can help a lot
When my husband agreed to train with me to become foster parents, my commitment was to help children experience a home that might affect their lives forever.
I’ve known adults who were impacted by spending one week at summer camp. Certainly I could do the same for a child, though caring for children short-term was a different parenting paradigm than I was accustomed to. But if we would only foster one child, I knew helping the one would be worth it.
Do not hinder them from coming to Jesus
“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven'” (Matthew 19:13-14 ESV).
I think I wouldn’t know Jesus like I do if there hadn’t been children in my life. I’ve learned so much from their trust, vulnerability, joy, openness, transparency, dependence, and need to bond. It seems clear that’s what Jesus meant when he said the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these.
Prayer
Lord, I think that if you hadn’t made a point of welcoming children that day, I might not have benefited from the caring adult who invited me to your side. Thank you so much for people like her, and for making us all a part of your kingdom.
by Kathy Sheldon Davis
kathysheldondavis.com 