One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Mark 10:13-16

Dear God, thinking about this story from the perspectives of the disciples (and presumably both Peter and John), I wonder how hard it was for them to do crowd control for Jesus. Were they used to scolding everyone who tried to encroach on Jesus’ space and time, or did they specifically see the children as insignificant? And what motivated the parents to bring their children? What was the result for which they were hoping?

What we often forget about children is that they are tomorrow’s adults. The seeds we plant into them now are what we will reap as a society for the next 50-70 years. The problem that you showed me 15 years ago is that there is a large chunk of our society’s children growing up traumatized and impacted by multigenerational poverty.

Our own town has a children crisis on a couple of levels. The most obvious one is that there is almost no childcare for young children birth to four. Parents trying to support themselves can’t find a safe place for their children. And then there are so many who are growing up in hellacious environments, carrying what they are learning into adulthood.

Father, help me to know what you would have me to do about this problem. You have given me specific experiences and sets of knowledge in this area. Show me what you want me to do with it and bless whatever the work is.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen