Jesus Blesses the Children Bible story for kids

Jesus and his friends were still walking south, toward the great city of Jerusalem.

And wherever Jesus went, crowds of people came. The Bible says he was teaching them, the way he usually did.

Now, imagine you are very small. Small enough to be carried. Small enough that in a crowd, all you can see is knees, and elbows, and the backs of people's cloaks.

That is how small some of the people in this story were.

Because somebody was bringing little children to Jesus. Even babies, another part of the Bible says. It doesn't tell us who brought them. Maybe mothers and fathers. Maybe a grandma. Maybe a big sister, with a baby brother on her hip.

And they had one hope. That Jesus would touch them. Just a touch.

So they came closer. Imagine little sandals pattering in the dust. Closer, and closer...

But the disciples stopped them.

They scolded the grown-ups who were bringing them. The Bible doesn't say why. Maybe they thought Jesus was too busy. Maybe they thought little children could wait.

They were Jesus's friends. But this time, they got it wrong.

And Jesus saw it.

In the middle of all those people, he saw the little ones being turned away. And the Bible says he was much displeased. Not with the children. Not with the grown-ups who brought them. With his friends.

And he said, "Allow the little children to come to me! Don't forbid them, for God's Kingdom belongs to such as these."

Such as these. The small ones. The ones who were nearly sent away.

Then Jesus said one more thing, very seriously. He said that everybody has to receive God's Kingdom the way a little child does, or they can't come in at all. Even grown-ups. Even the very tallest ones.

So the children came, right up close. Maybe their own grown-ups were right there beside them. I wonder if everybody stopped to watch.

They had only hoped for a touch. But Jesus gave them more.

He took them up in his arms.

He laid his hands on them.

And he blessed them.

Maybe one... and then another... and then another.

Imagine a baby, lifted up high. Imagine a little girl with a big, warm hand resting gently on her hair. I like to think the grown-ups were smiling.

Do you remember Simeon, in the temple? When Jesus was a tiny baby, Simeon took him up in his arms and blessed God. And now here was Jesus, all grown up, taking the little ones up in his arms... and blessing them.

Such as these, he said. And that means you, too.

Then Jesus and his friends walked on, down the long road toward a town called Jericho, where one day soon a short man would climb a tree. But that, little one, is a story for another night.

And God was with him. God was with her. God is with you, too.

Sleep now, little one. May the same God who laid His hands on the little children and blessed them... rest His blessing on you tonight.