The Road Devotional | Lent 2024

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Luke 18:15-17 

As United Methodist, we baptize infants for a variety of reasons. We believe that God’s love for us is not something that ebbs and flows, but is in full force from the very beginning. We also believe that God is giving us grace, even as babies, even before we know we need it. John Wesley called this “prevenient grace.” In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people did not share these types of beliefs. As a matter of fact, babies were seen as having lowly status and held in very low regard. The fact that Jesus would call for the children to be brought to him confused not only his disciples, but everyone who was present with him.

Q. How can we, in our communities, affirm the value of every individual, recognizing their place in the kingdom?

Jesus is saying here that, to enter into the great and glorious “kingdom of God,” one must reject the values of the world, including its views on status and power. Children come with pure hearts that are unburdened by pretense. They love asking questions because they are genuinely curious. They also exemplify turst and dependence.

Q. When might you have been guilty of judging someone based on his or her social status or lack of power? When might you have given someone powerful or socially renowned an unhealthy amount of respect or admiration?

God, we come before You with hearts open to the profound truth shared by Jesus. May we learn from the children who approached Him, embracing a faith that is trusting, dependent, pure, and unpretentious. Help us release the burdens of self-sufficiency and ego, approaching Your kingdom with the humility and openness of a child. Grant us the grace to see the worth and dignity in every person, just as Jesus did with the children. May our journey of faith be marked by a childlike trust and receptivity to Your kingdom.

Amen.