Look Up To Children For Some Life Lessons

Within the safeguard of a family or a societal unit, a niche is created for children to grow up. While this is predictable and a natural human instinct, is there a possibility for reverse learning? Rather than reaching out to children to foster learning, could we look up to them for some life lessons?

Contrary to popular thinking, Jesus upheld the importance of children and unpretentious childhood. Children were not to be seen as premature adults - who needed to grow up to be worthy of spiritual matters. One weary afternoon after a journey, Jesus stopped by for a siesta. Some parents hearing about his presence brought their children to be blessed by Jesus. His disciples sensitively protected his rest by attempting to deny them an audience with him. However, Jesus made himself available and sharply reprimanded his disciples. He announced: 'Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'

Age, like any other social barrier, does not impede biblical spirituality. We read about John, a cousin of Jesus who had a spiritual experience while still in his mother's womb. While an infant might not be able to articulate the spiritual experience rationally, there seems to be genuine involvement, nonetheless. The biblical understanding of knowledge includes (a) rational thought and (b) a relational understanding. Knowledge is interactive rather than just cerebral.

The disciples of Jesus were once privately debating among themselves as to who was the greatest. Jesus caught them by surprise as he enquired about their discussion. There was an embarrassing silence as their self-promotion lost its potency. Yet, he addressed the issue point-blank: 'Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.' He sat them down and subverted human grandiose agenda and greedy ambition with a demonstrative action. He placed a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.' Not only does that signal the importance of children in God's kingdom, but it also shows that God identifies himself with the vulnerable and the marginalised. The larger literary context of this episode shows his concern that his disciples seemed to miss the main point altogether.

While Jesus came into the world to save humanity from wickedness, it is intriguing that the saviour became like one of us, starting as a zygote, after a supernatural conception, a helpless baby and a toddler. He also went through the growing-up years - tweens, teens, and twenties. He subverted human expectations by not manifesting as a child prodigy with spectacular powers. He lived like any other Jewish boy - staying with his parents for about 30 years before starting his public life. His 'ordinary' life thus accentuates the value of an authentic childhood experience.

As someone said: 'The Son of God became a son of man, so that sons and daughters of humans might become children of God.'

Authored by: Neil Vimalkumar
Nov 14 is celebrated as Children's Day