A child's perspective

I grew up in a small East Yorkshire village.  Despite having to 'cope' with 4 older sisters (and, eventually, a younger brother), the vast majority of my childhood memories are positive.  As a family we attended our local Methodist Church.  It was only about 25 yards from our back door to the church entrance, so we were usually on time!  I have been back to that church quite a few times during my adult life, and each time it has brought back some wonderful memories.  One of my not so positive memories relates to what used to happen when we arrived at church each Sunday morning.

We usually walked the short distance to church together as a family.  There was always someone on the door to welcome visitors and hand out the hymn books.  What seemed very strange and rather unfair to me as a child was that my parents and sisters would be given the normal hymn books, but when it came to me I was given one of the old tatty hymn books.  The people on the door obviously thought that someone of my age couldn't be trusted to look after a good condition hymn book!  I can't say that this caused me sleepless nights, but perhaps sub-consciously it made me feel that as a child I was a second class citizen.  Every now and then the memory resurfaces, so clearly it had some effect.

In the 1st century culture of the New Testament, children were certainly treated like second class citizens.  Perhaps that is part of the reason why on one occasion, when some parents brought their children to Jesus to have him bless them, the disciples rebuked the people and tried to keep them and their children away from Jesus.  I love Jesus' reaction:

When Jesus noticed this, he was angry and said to his disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on each of them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:14-16)

In the eyes of the disciples (and of their society) these children were of little value.  In Jesus' eyes, they were precious beyond measure.   That passage has always held a special meaning to me, and is a constant reminder that every person is loved by God and is special in his sight; there are no second class citizens with God.  Although the tatty hymnbooks may have made me feel that I was not as important as an adult (or even my older sisters!), that little village church is one which will remain special to me because it was there that I first met God in a real way at the tender age of just 5 years old.

It was after one Sunday morning church service (I can't remember the exact date) that I returned home, knelt down on the stairs, and committed my life to Jesus.  Although I was so young, and my knowledge wasn't great, from that moment on I knew that Jesus was a friend in whom I could trust.  Together we have been on some amazing adventures over the ensuing years.  Often I have let him down, but he has never failed me.  

It can be quite scary following Jesus; sometimes he has led me to places and situations where I have felt totally out of my depth.  But I don't regret for one minute my decision to give my life to him; I know that wherever I go and whatever I face he is my constant companion, and gives me the courage and strength to do things which I could never achieve in my own strength.  Over the years my knowledge and understanding of God has developed in many ways, but I will never forget that the journey really began when I was just 5 years of age.  When Jesus took those children in his arms and blessed them, he showed that they were precious.  We are all precious in his eyes!