“But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’” – Matthew 19:14
During His earthly ministry it was the disciples who tried to prevent kids from coming to Jesus. Today it’s often…us. We hate to admit it, but it’s often we parents or grandparents who keep our kids and grandkids from Jesus. How?
We fill their schedules so full of activities, lessons, sports, and events that they have no time or energy for Jesus. They’re physically and emotionally exhausted and want to sleep in just one morning a week and stay home just one evening a week. In sympathy we let them and what gets cut out of their lives? Jesus.
We orchestrate their lives carefully and energetically to make sure they get the grades, D1 scholarship, college admission, and career of their dreams but don’t invest the same kind of planning, energy, enthusiasm, and discussion in their spiritual growth. Who do we functionally cut out of their lives? Jesus.
We get so busy ourselves that we either neglect or at least fail to regularly work on our own spiritual growth and devotion to Jesus in their presence. Who do we demonstrate doesn’t matter in our own lives? Jesus.
We’re so busy rushing around that we can’t have times of relaxed conversation, prayer, simple devotions, or discussion of the news of the day from a spiritual perspective around the dinner table. Often we’re never even at the dinner table at the same time. Who aren’t we inviting to dinner? Jesus.
Our kids and grandkids are the earthly loves of our lives. Take time to reflect on whether your choices, actions, words, and patterns of life hinder them from what should be the most important relationship of their lives.