Wednesday: A Fearsome Warning
Analyze the following texts: Matthew 11:25-26; Matt. 18:1-6, Matt. 18:10-14. What truths, not just about children but about faith in general, can we learn through these stories? Think about just how harsh Jesus’ warning was here. Why should we tremble before it?
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
There exists a unique genuineness within children that Jesus frequently appealed to when illustrating His kingdom. Their genuineness, humility, dependency, and innocence somehow capture the essence of Christian living. How we should all long for that simplicity and trust in living out our faith.
Modern disciple-makers need to learn another lesson: children need never leave their childlike dependency behind. Properly educated, children may carry their trusting innocence into adulthood. Certainly, as children mature and get older, they will question things, they will have struggles and doubts and unanswered questions, as we all do. But a childlike faith is never unfashionable. As parents, or as adults in general, we should do all that we can to instill in children a knowledge of God and His love, and nothing can do that more than by revealing that love to them through our lives, our kindness, our compassion, and our care. We can preach and sermonize all we want; in the end, as with adults, the best way to disciple children is to live out before them the love of God in our lives.
In cold, fearsome, and stark contrast, criminal acts against children-especially during church-sponsored activities-can destroy a child’s confidence about the church and, usually, about the God of the church. What wrath must justly await those who perpetrate such actions and those who protect the perpetrators. Christ and His message awaken confidence and trust. How dare any human organization compromise that childlike faith through lack of vigilance?
What is your church doing, not only to nurture its children but to make sure that they are protected in every way possible? Think what it means when Jesus said their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven
(Matt. 18:10). Why should that make anyone who hurts a child tremble?
(21)
anyone who hurts a child should tremble, because the children is ennosent in the eyes of God, they are truthful to God.
I used to have a little sister (she is late), left this world when she was 2, she was the epitome of innocence, of beauty, she was just too perfect to be a part of this sinful world.One would scold her and she would look at you with those huge innocent eyes and say sowwwwy (sorry).I live everyday of my life trying to emulate her character, one which was faultless, kind, honest and full of compassion.One thing I got to learn from my young sister's character was that if one truly gives their life to Christ and they have that child like attitude, always trusting in an elderly person (Jesus Christ) to show them the way they will never go wrong. Children are awesome, think twice before you say those hurtful words to them, think of their humility, their innocence and my prayer is that we all have that child like character.
We answer to God for how we treat children, just as those who hurt us in our childhood years must answer to Him. God takes special care of the most vulnerable and tender, the young. He always forgives the repentent, but no one is perfect and any parent, teacher or other adult in authority over children has hurt children in some way large or small. Still, we must throw ourselves on His mercy while asking Him to place His healing hand over children who have been injured physically, mentally or spiritually.
reading Matt 18:10 made realized how important it is and responsibility of parents as well as a church as whole in training its children the proper way they should grow. ....."for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven". come to think of it reading this portion of the verse made me understand the fact that God answers the prayer of little children. it all boils on to the fact that these kids are delicate to God and must make every effort to bring them up in the lord
As a mother of three, I tremble at the magnitude of the responsibility I have over the lives of my children. I am praying that God will give me grace, wisdom and strength to be a model that will lead them all to love Jesus more, even when they grow up and leave my home. May they grow to lead others to Christ. Amen
I am thankful that Jesus has specifically stated how He feels about the actions of those who hurt children, and the very certain fact that they will face consequences concerning their actions. Sometimes we may never know what has happened, but God who sees and knows everything, reassures us, that they will receive judgement for their actions.
Jesus was pointing about the purity and the innocent mind of a child.
We as an adult, how important it is to have the same character of mind as the little children.
As a young mother I prided myself on taking good care of my children. My husband and I had family worship together with our 3 children. However, I found out from my daughter that some girls had molested her in the church bathroom when she was about 5 years old. I was so devasted. I did not find this out until she was 19 !! We must watch and pray always!
Be aware where the adults and children are as much as possible. Don't let children run around the church or go into empty rooms or closets or the roof. Make all empty rooms and closets off limits.
Make sure that one adult is not alone with a group or any amount of children unless they are unquestionably safe. Know the adult that your children are with, when you cannot be with them. Do cell phone checks.
I always go in the bathroom with my 4 and 3 year old grandchildren, and I did with my son too, since I was a single parent. I am always right with my grandchildren and do not let them talk too much with an adult. Do not risk anything. Always have a church leader be the last one out of the church and make sure everyone is out. Do not let an adult linger with another adult either, especially a single man with a woman.
I am sad we live in this kind of world, but our church has been the site of various kinds of abuse. This is an area that we have a right to be totally protective and don't give it a second thought, and don't care what others think. I grab my grandson by his clothes if he lets go of my hand. Better safe than sorry.
I believe children are the apple of God's eye. Therefore great is the wrath to those who hurt and cause a child to sin. Grown ups are utmost responsible in seeing that children are blessed and healthy. A child is at risk when grown ups are not mature and do not live godly lifes. It would help break curses when the community is praying for their children and schools.
I agree that children are innocence
and are not matured yet to stand alone.
They need support of parents and teachers
or pathfinder leaders. Even my 11 year old granddaughter
still thinks like a 6 year. I recalled what she
asked us (grandparents) Grandma, when you go to heaven
what will be the first thing you and grandpa will do?
I answered, tell me first, what will you do first when you get to heaven?
She said, If animals don't bite in heaven, I will ride on a cheetah's back, after that I want you and grandpa to go up the mountain with me and jump down to practice our wings if they surely work. I laughed and hugged her. Surely we will do that. I said.
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Faith requires believers to remove all barriers that restricts us and submit to God's will even at times when we have no immediate logical evidence for believing in what we believe. The kingdom of God is opposite to what we have learned in our earthly secular living, that those who are great in the affairs of this world are the one's that we should honoured and looked up to. The text instead states that the kingdom of heaven requires us to be the least on this earth to be seen as great in heaven.
We should not look down on those who seem lost or forsaken on this earth, we must realize that all of those we see in this conditions are the ones who Christ came for, he did not come for those who are righteous but for those who are lost and if we have become righteous in Christ then we should be seeking those whom are lost also. Jesus' warning is harsh because like a loving parent you do not close your eyes and forget when one of our children have gone a stray, but we weep for them, we worry for them and in a lot of ways it feels as though a piece of yourself remain broken until you know that they are safe and are rescued from their lost state.
This is the same with Christ, he hurts over just one of us that remain lost, so if we are of Christ then we should care for these individuals. It is a humbling thought for me as a father and as a Christian, it is a sacred responsibility raising children. This thought of the value that God views children should call all parents, teacher, aunts, uncles and anyone who have been given such a honourable task to affect and influence children's lives; we should examine and re-examine whether or not God is pleased with how we are fulfilling our roles in these children's lives.
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If anyone neglect to bring up a child in the Word of God,they are hurting a child more than physical.
I like thinking about the love of Jesus, and what Jesus meant about the humility and the belief of a child. A child trust and obey, believe all things and doesn't doubt. Thanks be to God that he understands what we are and that through Jesus we can be regenerate in our mind, and receiving a new heart. To have the mind of Christ within us, daily dying to self, repenting of our sinful wrong doings as the Holy Spirit teaches us moments by moments and on relaying and leaning on Jesus for His unfailing love and assistance in times of needs. What a friend we have in Jesus, and that I wrote it as a child of our Heavenly Father.Would you be his little child too?