A Little Child Shall Lead Us

"Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me. . . ." (Matthew 19:14)

Jimmy was dying. In his usual way he had to tease, have his little joke. Then he put up his arms for me to give him his hug on both sides and a kiss in the middle. After that he gave a soft sigh, closed his eyes, and went to sleep. Early the next morning, without ever waking again, he joined his Jesus for eternity.

We were devastated. Yet, at the same time, we were relieved and grateful that his suffering was over. In a strange way we were proud of him. He had fought so hard to live without giving in to self-pity or cranky whining. Not that he was an angel; he was most decidedly a normal boy, good at times, ornery at others. It was just that he took whatever came to him and found some way to make a joke of it.

I think that his example was one of the most important lessons I learned from my children. First of all, to trust Jesus — "because he loves us, Mumma." Second, to take whatever comes my way and regardless of what it is, find a way to laugh and be happy. And last, but by no means least, to share love generously.

Jesus said, "Let the children come to me." Jimmy went, confident that his Jesus was waiting with open arms to share a joke and a hug with him.

Beyond the Door
1. What a special relationship Jesus must have with children! Read Matthew 18:1–5 and 19:13–15 for a marvelous description of that relationship.

2. So often children can see the joy in even a tough situation, as Jimmy does here. Has a child ever shared an insight with you that "went way beyond his years"? Have you ever thought of writing a brief meditation on that, as the author has done here — just for your own, or your family’s, personal use? Think about it.

3. Also, check out the books Jesus, This Is Your Life and Noah, Build Your Boat (edited by Jeff Kunkel, and available from Augsburg Fortress, Publishers). Both are marvelous, ingenuous examples of writing and pictures by youngsters as they retell stories in Jesus’ life and from the Old Testament. A little child is leading us all here.

4. Why not borrow Jeff Kunkel’s idea and have a child, or children, in your life (or Sunday school class) retell or draw biblical stories?