"Forbid them not..."

He stood there, tall and strong, among the crowds of people.  They were firing questions at Him.  With questions as answers He baffled the religious leaders again and again.  But the words they spoke never registered in her mind.  To her, there were no crowds.  It was as if there was no one in the world but her and him.  She gazed at his face.  Something about Him was so attracting, but she could not quite identify it.  Maybe it was the way he looked at everybody.  The child knew not that the emotion he portrayed was love.  Maybe it was the look in his eyes.  The child had never known the true meaning of peace. Whatever it was, she was mesmerized by His presence.

Then she saw.  People were standing up and going to Him.  Small children were being led by the hand to His side.  Mothers hurried toddlers toward the Man.  Fathers carried their children forward.  What about me? she asked herself. Why doesn't someone take me to Him?

As they reached His side, the Man reached out and laid His hands on them.  He smiled at them.  He hugged them.  He welcomed them.  He laughed with them.  He loved them.

She watched silently.  This was not the first time.  In her short lifetime, she had watched many times as others had gotten more than her.  People took advantage of her all the time.  She had thought this Man was different.  She thought surely He would not discriminate so, just because she was poor and ragged and ugly.  But I guess I'm wrong again, she thought to herself.  No one is to be trusted.  No one at all.  Heartbroken and disappointed, she turned and sulked away. {paraphrased from Matthew 19:13-15}

sad.  heart-breaking, really.  a small child, deceived and disillusioned because of the actions of the people all around her.

Yet I wonder... I wonder how many times I've done this exact thing.  My parents brought me to Jesus.  They taught me about Him all my life long.  I've known about Him and they have done an excellent job of leading me to Him.

Yet I wonder... I wonder how many times, in my quest for Jesus, I have pushed others aside.  How many times, in my desperation for a blessing for myself, have I left others deceived and disillusioned?  How many times have I been so focused in pushing through the obstacles to get to Jesus myself that I have failed to notice the small child fading into the background who has no one to take her to Jesus?

Some kids don't have parents who love them.  Some kids don't have people who care.  Some kids have never experienced love and don't even know what true peace is.  Some kids are standing in the background, longing and hoping and dreaming, but not knowing how to come.  Some kids have no one to lead them to Jesus.

Who will lead them?  Who will lead them?  Who will reach out and take their hands?  Who will reach down and pick them up?  Who will show these people who Jesus really is?  Who will take time to explain?  Who will spend money to teach?  Who will present Truth to the deceived?  Who will show Life to the poor and broken?

Each one of us are called to teach, to tell, to proclaim, to bring peace, to show love, to be Jesus to those around us.  Are you doing your part?

"The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for."

__
Never settle for less!