Days of Ministry
27
every mother in her labors. He who made a long journey in order
to relieve the anxious heart of a Canaanite woman will do as much
for the mothers of today. He who gave back to the widow of Nain
her only son, and in His agony upon the cross remembered His own
mother, is touched today by the mother’s sorrow. In every grief and
every need, He will comfort and help.
Let mothers come to Jesus with their perplexities. They will
find grace sufficient to aid them in the care of their children. The
gates are open for every mother who would lay her burdens at the
Saviour’s feet. He who said, “Suffer the little children to come unto
Me, and forbid them not” (
Mark 10:14
), still invites mothers to bring
their little ones to be blessed by Him.
In the children who were brought in contact with Him, Jesus
saw the men and women who should be heirs of His grace and
subjects of His kingdom, and some of whom would become martyrs
for His sake. He knew that these children would listen to Him and
accept Him as their Redeemer far more readily than would grown-up
people, many of whom were the worldly-wise and hardhearted. In
teaching, He came down to their level. He, the Majesty of heaven,
answered their questions and simplified His important lessons to
meet their childish understanding. He planted in their minds the
seeds of truth, which in after years would spring up and bear fruit
unto eternal life.
When Jesus told the disciples not to forbid the children to come
[43]
to Him, He was speaking to His followers in all ages—to officers of
the church, ministers, helpers, and all Christians. Jesus is drawing
the children, and He bids us, “Suffer them to come;” as if He would
say, They will come, if you do not hinder them.
Let not your un-Christlike character misrepresent Jesus. Do not
keep the little ones away from Him by your coldness and harshness.
Never give them cause to feel that heaven would not be a pleas-
[44]
ant place to them if you were there. Do not speak of religion as
something that children cannot understand, or act as if they were not
expected to accept Christ in their childhood. Do not give them the
false impression that the religion of Christ is a religion of gloom,
and that in coming to the Saviour they must give up all that makes
life joyful.