Jesus Loves the Little Children... So??
- Jun 29
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 30
When our children were little our family had a bedtime habit of reading a story to them and then singing songs right before we kissed and tucked them in for the night. I would often stay just a bit longer to softly play guitar as they drifted off to sleep, then quietly leave.
The classic "Jesus Loves the Little Children" was a regular in our nightly "set list".
We would sing that chorus, then change the words and do one for "all the Mamas", then "all the Daddies", then name the brothers and sisters by name each getting their own chorus, then "all the Grammas" and then "Grampas" and finish with "all the children of the world" again to end.
Stay with me as this is my thinking: I honestly cannot fathom why those who profess to follow Jesus violate the clear COMMANDS of Jesus regarding how we both think about as well as interact with/treat our neighbors or even strangers and enemies (Jesus Himself used both terms clearly in the Gospels).
Most reading this learned that children's hymn long ago.
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world
Red and yellow black and white, they are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
-on occasion some add the word "brown" to the lyrics thus meaning what the writer meant as He used the word "all".
Scripture is absolutely clear on Who God is and His attributes, His call for us to love -all-, not merely those who think, act, vote like we do.
HIS standards for those of us who say we love and follow Him are what we must live by, not our own nor any other group's attitudes and council when it violates or at times fully nullifies what God's Word -commands- us, no?
God is love (see 1 John), God calls for justice love and justice for children, women, the aged, the stranger (whether Jew or gentile, see Book of Amos, James, Paul right through his letters, etc.). The clarity of Jesus' literal command to love all, of Paul to honor all people, etc., is truly blatant in the Bible we say we trust above all other written documents.
Ready? Here it comes:
Did God stop loving all the people when they grew beyond childhood?
Did His desire for relationship with them end as they reached adulthood?
While they (we) were yet practicing sinners, Christ died for us, the perfect, holy, totally righteous for the imperfect, unholy, ungodly. This is the love of God for you and me. Is it not also for those we dislike, disagree with, fear, are disgusted by? Is there zero possible grace, mercy, opportunity for them to ever repent and believe while they're still on earth?
It may inform you well to read and listen through the history of this little Bible-based hymn. It may even affect your heart beyond your brain which may so easily default to defense and even attack mode toward others for whom Jesus died equally as for you and me!
Fact: a response to the racism and disgust at poor, dirty children in his congregation inspired the pastor's writing and teaching this very song.
And as always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
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