Suffer Not the Children, MMM 4-17-2011

SUFFER NOT THE LITTLE CHILDREN…

Monday Morning Message, April 18, 2011

This theme from the Bible was ringing in my head when we attended two movies in the last week which are intended for kids that are significantly younger than 70.  It wasn’t the little girl who jumped six steps at a time from the top row because she really had to go even though her periodic jumps resonated to the entire theatre.  It wasn’t even the lights on all of the shoes which when taken together with all of the kids moving around helps to light up a normally darkened movie room.  It wasn’t even the cries of kids too young to appreciate the dialogue in a film like RIO who had already been sitting still for a maximum amount of time and now were staging a high volume protest while frustrated parents carried them out.
 
It’s not even the time spent in church watching six and seven year old boys pinching each other, kicking each other, and pulling each other’s clothing that bothers me.  At times I have had to pick up sticky candy wrappers and I don’t really mind getting my hands all messy just because a kid thought maybe it was more important that I pick up his trash than for him to throw it away.  And it doesn’t bother me that much when I walk down my street for a leisurely stroll and I have to avoid either broken glass or beer bottles that were thrown from cars before “children” arrived at home with the alcoholic evidence of a “fun” time.  I am even starting to enjoy it when cars pull up next to me with the loud speakers roaring music that I do not enjoy because at my age, I count that as a free body massage since my car rocks like crazy from the sound and my ears don’t really hear what is blaring anyway.

What bothers me most about this passage is that no matter how old you get, God still expects us to accept HIS gifts just like we are little children.  Come to think of it, this is a break for me since many people think maybe I haven’t grown up at all.  At last, a Bible truth that fits into enjoying being a kid no matter what your chronological age might be.  As you think about God’s plan for your life this week, try to celebrate the greatest gift the world has ever known, the matchless love of Jesus who gave his life for each of us.  And then think about the beauty of being a “child” of God if you have named the name of Christ as the head of your life! 

 Matthew 11:28-30 (RSV) “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

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