“Jesus Book”

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
    to still the enemy and the avenger.
-Psalm 8:2

We have a nightly routine in my house: at bedtime our boys pick a bedtime book, and when that is through we read a story from The Story Bible before saying our prayers and singing the doxology. This is an important part of their Christian formation. Though they are only four, two, and in the womb, they still need to hear, learn, and digest Scripture. But why? Is it worth fighting the squiggles and distractions? Is it really that important when they don’t yet comprehend all words and ideas that are being communicated? Jesus seemed to think so.

In Matthew 18 we read of the disciples coming to Jesus and asking Him who is the greatest in the rule and reign of God.

     And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
     “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” -Matthew 18:1-4

Jesus held up children as an example of faith, but lest we become like Nicodemus (who asked how we could be ‘born again’ since we cannot enter back into our mother’s womb) without understanding, we need to realize that Jesus is speaking of life in the Spirit. We do not become humble like children by acting childish or being ignorant (in fact Paul says we are supposed to grow in the faith and put ‘childish ways behind us’), but by acknowledging our complete dependence upon our heavenly father. We do not become puffed up in our knowledge and thoughts, but resolve ourselves to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified. Unless we humble ourselves and completely dependence upon Christ for our salvation, and even our very faith (as faith itself is a gift of God and not something we of ourselves can do or hold to or boast about), we will never enter the kingdom of God. Then Christ goes on to warn his disciples that whoever would hinder such *faith* of these children will face a horrific fate.

These children, our children have faith, not of themselves, but as a gift from God. This faith must be fed by the bread He supplies.  Scripture is one of the means of grace, one of the ‘avenues’ through which God delivers, nourishes, and strengthens faith. Many question if such young children can even have faith since they don’t yet understand, but Jesus didn’t seem to have any doubt. Later, He rebukes His disciples when they prevent parents from bringing their children (and the Greek word includes even the youngest of children) to Jesus for a blessing. When Jesus saw this He said,

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”  And he laid his hands on them and went away. – Matthew 19:14-15

God’s kingdom can only be received through faith, so if the Kingdom belongs to little children, then they must have the faith to receive it! Thus, Jesus does not dismiss the notion of the children coming to Him because He is the creator, sustainer, and perfecter of *faith*. He gives faith through His blessing and He blesses these children. It is instead the disciples, who tried to prevent these children from coming to Jesus, Jesus rebuked for their lack of faith!

Children, like anyone else, are able to hear the Word of God and grow in the faith given within. In fact, their humility allows them pure faith that trusts God’s Word without doubt and without question! As we grow older and gain more “experience”, that “experience” we gain often leads us to question faith, for example, whether God’s will toward us is actually good, or if God’s Word is actually just a collection of man-made fairy tales meant to teach morality and don’t reflect reality. Yet children, lacking this “worldly experience” are willing to trust and believe what God has told and promised them.

Thus, it is not surprising when Children make the clearest confessions of faith, uncomplicated by sin and the world’s lack of understanding.  Again, even Jesus acknowledges the power of the confessions of faith of children:

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

When it is time to read from the Bible, my two year old calls it his “Jesus book.” Such a profound confession of faith and praise from such a little one. How profound it is this, when many adult Christians still don’t even know what the Bible is! Many who call themselves Christians believe it is the Word of God, though not all who call themselves Christian do. Of those who do, many still don’t understand the reason God gave to us His Word. Many believe that the Bible is God’s “Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.” Others believe that it was written to only inform the faith of the original audience, but has no bearing on us now because we have the Spirit. What all these people fail to realize, my two year old confesses clearly: it is his “Jesus book.” My two year old stands in like with the great Apostle John when He writes in his Gospel account, “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” and in his first epistle, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.“

So it is important to start reading the Word of God to those even in the womb, because God works faith in us though His Word despite our understanding or lack thereof. Just look at the example of John who lept in the womb at the voice of Mary, and again at the disciples who were clueless before the Spirit enlightened them at Pentecost but still manage to make clear confessions of faith: i.e. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” and “My Lord and My God.” Children need to hear the Scriptures, their “Jesus book”, read to them by their parents so that their faith may be created, sustained, and perfected by His Word. The Bible is not like any other book, but it is the very Word of God that reveals to us our savior and it DOES what it SAYS. It GIVES us Jesus, and in Him the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation! It is our “Jesus book.” Amen.