They Naturally Live By Faith
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9
Jesus performed miracles to show that God was bringing forth his kingdom. He was coming into the world through his Son, in a more forceful way than he had acted through the patriarchs, kings, or prophets. Even though Jesus proclaimed this with his healing and other mighty works, he had to add considerable teaching concerning the kingdom. His instruction often took the form of sermons and explanations of scripture, but perhaps his most easily understood messages were told in parables. They were short stories of something that might occur in real life. They were especially helpful because people easily related to them. He explained the growth and effect of the kingdom by saying that it was like a mustard seed, a very tiny object that in time becomes a large tree. Another comparison was with a little bit of yeast hidden in some dough. It works quietly, but soon affects the whole lump of dough.
The subjects of the kingdom would show their willingness to serve God in the humble quality of their lives. The disciples could not understand this. In every kingdom of which they had heard, the most important members were the highest-ranking officials. One day, Jesus found them bickering over the positions they would hold once his kingdom was established. Each wanted an important, impressive role.
From a group standing nearby, Jesus called a little child. When the child had come, he lifted him into his arms and turning to the disciples, said, “The most important subjects of my kingdom will be like this child. They will realize they are weak and trust in God rather than themselves.
He continued teaching them saying “To rank first in the kingdom, you will have to be willing to become the servant of all. Doing good for a little child is the same as doing good for me. But a terrible punishment is reserved for those who teach children to do wrong. Why these little ones have angels before God’s throne who watch over them.”
His teachings reached the hearts of mothers who began bringing their children to Jesus to be blessed by him. The disciples felt that He shouldn’t have to do this because he had much more important things filling up his time. They discouraged the women, “our Lord is too busy. He cannot possibly see all of you.”
Jesus said, “Do not turn the little children away. Let them come to me and remember that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them and those like them.” Proverb 22: 6 says train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
“Jesus loves the little children; all the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow, black, or white, all are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” They need their tender hearts touched with the feeling of being loved by their creator.
The Traveler Weekly 