Daily Encouragementنموونە

Our Lord spoke these words with his arm around a little child standing beside him. He had called the child, who must have responded fearlessly to that gentle voice and that look of love.

We look down on the child when we doubt his ability to respond to that call. Many of us came to him when we were very young, and we have seen our children do the same. “Little ones” do believe in him (verse 6).

To look down on the child is to reject the only attitude which gives access to the kingdom of heaven. Nothing but childlike humility is acceptable there.

To look down on the child is to despise those who are particularly precious to God. The angels who are nearest to God are near to them. “Your father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost” (verse 14).

So our attitude to the child reflects our attitude to God. Those who abuse or denigrate these precious individuals - as 1 John so clearly states, "how does the love of God dwell in him?".