I just finished the NY Times bestseller Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s the real-life story of a pastor who recounts the story of his son, Colton. Colton lay violently ill in a hospital with appendicitis at the age of almost-four years old and took a short trip to heaven. Yet God saw fit to return Colton to his earthly family, back from the edge of death.  Colton, who did not have enough theology to frame the fantastic and comforting details he encountered, began speaking of things in heaven he’d witnessed, to the sheer amazement of the adults around him. If you’d like some eye-opening descriptions of what an eternity with God might/will look like, I encourage you to buy or borrow this book.

If there was one subject in particular Colton enthusiastically repeated over and over, Todd Burpo says, it was that Jesus really, really loves the little children.

He said that Colton would wake up in the morning and remind him, “Hey, Dad, Jesus told me to tell you. He really loves the children.” Or he would babble over dinner about it. Or at bedtime while brushing his teeth, Colton would firmly preach the same message: “Hey, Daddy, don’t forget. Jesus said He really, really loves the children!”

In Mark 10, Jesus’ disciples had come up with their own method of crowd control. They fussed at all the parents dragging their broods out to see Jesus. To their credit, the disciples probably had honorable intent, not wanting to squander Jesus’ valuable time and attention on those in the crowd they considered insignificant. But Jesus, of course, saw what was happening, and had a radically different take on things!

“Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. And He took them up in his arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.”  Mark 10:13-16, NKJV

Todd Burpo also points out statistics showing that most people who come to know Christ as Savior, do so when they are young.  So, to those of you who minister to children in some way. . .

. . . Who still have children at home and are actively engaged in teaching them about the Lord–

. . . Who sing songs to or sit in the floor to play with little ones in the nursery–

. . . Who fill children’s heads with exploits of God’s heroes in Sunday School or extended session–

. . . Who patiently listen to children to spout their memorized Bible verses in Awanas—

. .  . Or those who brave the youth group, daring to live out a godly life before those young people–

You are in terrific company! You are doing what Jesus might Himself be doing, if He were here in our world today. Blessings!

Lookin’ up,

Sislyn