Wednesday Night Reflection: Great Children

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18.1-5

I worked five summers at Carol Joy Holling Camp in Ashland, Nebraska; the first three as a counselor and the last two as the Site Manager of Tipi Village. Dave, one of the year-round staff had a great routine – whenever he saw someone, he’s ask, “How’s my favorite counselor today?” “How’s my favorite site manager today?” Everyone got this greeting, which made it that much more funny, especially when a whole group of summer staff got it, right down the line.

Today, I’m not so sure he was joking. At least, not entirely. You see, I have two daughters, and I’ll be damned if I can figure out which one I love best. Is it Ainsley, my “mini-me,” with her curly red hair, constant happy demeanor, and overall cuteness? Or is it Alanna, my dark-haired beauty, who melts my heart as she falls asleep in my arms? I can’t pick one: I’m over the moon about them both, and I wonder sometimes if Dave didn’t feel the same way about all of us summer staff, too.

So when the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” I wonder if Jesus wasn’t thinking about the question differently than we disciples would generally think about it. Our tendency is to prioritize; to rank; to strive for the number one position. But if God feels about us the same way we feel about our kids, then the question changes, doesn’t it? There is no “greatest” in our family; there is only the individual children, whom I love, whose innocence and simplicity make them dearer to me than I’ll ever be able to explain.

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we begin, “Our Father in heaven.” In the Small Catechism, Martin Luther says:

“With these words God wants to attract us, so that we come to believe he is truly our Father and we are truly his children, in order that we may ask him boldly and with complete confidence, just as loving children ask their loving father.”

When Ainsley wants something, she comes to us and simply asks for it. There are no flowery phrases, no pre-request flattery: she asks, we say “Yes” or “No.” Alanna is even more simple: she can only grunt and cry and hope that we understand she is tired/hungry/poopy. Both Ainsley and Alanna will outgrow this simple innocence, and though I’m looking forward to knowing my girls as they grow up, there is a strong part of me that wants them to stay young and innocent forever.

What Jesus means is this: God is over the moon about you, and nothing you can say or do will make that love any stronger. You are God’s children, and God looks on you with eyes that love and ears that listen, ready to care for you with the deep, abiding love to which every loving parent aspires. This is not a competition, folks: each one of you is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” as the psalmist says, and your place in God’s family is assured, not because you are great, but because God’s love for you is great.

Rich Mullins once wrote a song about God’s love for children, and I’ll close with that this evening.

On this YouTube video you'll find the song in question, "Madeline's Song," at about 6:50. Unfortunately, the last few notes got cut off, but you'll get the drift nevertheless. The embed wasn't working right, otherwise it'd be right here. Here are the lyrics:

Madeline fusses and Madeline laughs
The angel who watches says, "Hey look at that"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays

Madeline stretches and Madeline kicks
The angels in heaven say, "Hey look at this"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays

And the only angels that I've ever seen
Look like tears on the face of the sky
Though it sure breaks your heart to see heaven all streaked up
With sorrows like theirs, still you know all the while
From where cobbles shine golden like emeralds shine green
From where gems stud the streets and the walls
God looks out a window at us just to see
If anything frail as a sparrow should fall

Madeline fusses and Madeline laughs
The angel who watches says, "Hey look at that"
There's your faith
mountains will shake
God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays