Suffer the little Children… Mark 10:13-16
This month I’ve taken my inspiration from the Gospel appointed in the Common Worship Lectionary for the 3rd of October. We read that parents brought their children to Jesus ‘so he could touch and bless them’ and yet, we watch on agog as the disciples scold the parents for bothering Jesus.
In the back of my mind when I read this passage, I hear echoes from the KJV - ‘Suffer the little children to come unto me’ as Jesus reproves his disciples to allow the children near. M4M perhaps is not the place to consider all that this might mean for us, our childlikeness and the Kingdom of God. Instead, I’d like us to meditate a while on the nature of sufferance (patience and perseverance, perhaps) as a part of our vocation to Christ-like generosity.
How often do we join the disciples in dismissing others, simply because we are too… you could insert almost any adjective you like here e.g. busy, important, hungry, tired, upset, excited, or disappointed? Or, arguably worse, because we perceive the other as too old, young, liberal, or conservative? You get the idea. I know in my heart that I do this at a low level much more than I would like to admit, and I suspect I’m not alone. Generous living sometimes calls upon us to exercise a holy patience that views our sisters and brothers with the love and compassion of Christ, rather than through the haze of our own needs and cares. Jesus lives in our hearts and if only we let them near, others can meet him, and be blessed by him, through us.
This month then, as church and work life continue to wind up towards a busy schedule for the Autumn and Winter let’s strive so that deliberate and holy patience will abound in our hearts and lives. Whatever the weeks ahead hold for you, know that we in your Stewardship Team are here to support you however we can, and that we pray for you in all your work. Thank God for your faithful commitment, and thank you for all that you do to promote generosity in your churches.
Bless you,
Dan
