Happy Birthday, Maggie!

[Jesus said] See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:10-14 ESV).

The most amazing miracle, other than our redemption through Christ, is the birth of our children. That miracle extends its wonder to grandchildren, and, should you be so bless, to great-grandchildren. In fact, throughout our lineage God bless each generation with their progeny. Today is my next to the oldest granddaughter’s 5th birthday. Happy Birthday Maggie! As you can see from the picture I have chosen today, she doesn’t lack any exuberance for life. In fact she lives it on tip toes! Whether she is “watering the grass” (I know she’s just playing in the water, but I won’t tell if you won’t), or “studying her numbers and letter” from school, she does everything with life. And isn’t that the greatest lesson we can all be taught from each of these “little ones.” Jesus says in our reading today that we are not to “despise even one of these little ones” (v. 10). The word in the original language is kataphroneō. It means to “think little of,” or “disregard.” I find it very common for adults to ignore children. Perhaps it’s because we find their incessant curiosity and resulting questions tiring. I remember forty years ago while waling hand-in-hand with one of my sons when a well meaning older woman walked up from behind and said, “I bet you wished you had a dollar for every question he asks!” Evidently she had been following close enough to overhear the constant “whys” and “whats” my son asked of me. I did my best to answer his every question, though I must confess to falling to the temptation of simply saying “because” too often. We must be careful in our regard for every child, ours and others as well. This is so simply because God does not disregard them. God’s promise is that “not one of them will be lost” (v. 14). Like a shepherd watches after every sheep in his care, so God watches over every one of the children. Dare we do any different? As a grandparent, that means praying for them unceasingly. It means modeling the life of a committed, obedient believer. It means loving them unconditionally. My personal prayer is that I will be found faithful in these things. I hope you will be as well!