Oh Baby!

15 Some people brought even their babies to Jesus so he could touch them. When the followers saw this, they told them to stop. 16 But Jesus called for the children, saying, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children. 17 I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a child, or you will never enter it." ~ St. Luke 18: 15 – 17 (NCV)

I can remember years ago when politicians used to make a point of kissing all the babies in the crowd they could reach. People would bring their babies to them to be kissed hoping they would get on camera. Today with all the security issues they face, politicians had to up their protection and we do not see it as much as we used to. I use this illustration that you may have some idea what it was like that day for Jesus when people were bringing their children to Him that He may touch them. Hundreds were there wanting to see Him or be touched or healed by Him. When parents began bringing their infants to Him the adults did not see any benefit in having Him touch babies. There were people who needed healing and the babies were taking His attention away from them perhaps. Listen closely to what Jesus says, read it several times if you need to. “The kingdom of God belongs to people who are like children. I guarantee YOU, if YOU do not accept the kingdom of God as if YOU were a child, YOU will NEVER enter it.” (Emphasis mine of course). Babies have to be carried to get where they go. They spit up milk on you, they make noises that wake you from your sleep in the middle of the night, they emit smells that would even choke a buzzard, and they mess up diapers constantly, but we count them as precious and love them dearly! Now put yourself in that category in relation to God. We must be willing to be totally dependent upon Him to take us where we need to go, to put up with our crying, to feed us when we are hungry, to protect us from danger, and to wash our dirty feet. Now you understand what He meant when He told big old Nicodemus; “You must be born again.” WE need to be born again too if we are to enter the kingdom of God. Babies cannot drive themselves home; they depend on us to take them there. We cannot take ourselves to heaven either; we must depend on Jesus to take us there.