Matthew 18

[Elder-Shawn Denise Briscoe]

Ahh, children; when they are born we love them up because they are so small and helpless; innocent in our view. Then they begin to show signs of growth and a will of their own before they are even a year old. And we begin to lose that emotional thrill that we had for them because they are becoming more demanding of our time. Gone are the days when all we had to do was feed; clean and watch them sleep. Now we are growing tired of trying to keep them entertained; running after them so forth and so on. But children can teach adults so very much if we would only watch how the process of growing up in the natural is parallel to growing up in spirit. When I became a mother for the very first time; as most mothers I was a little nervous about having a life totally dependent on me for the next eighteen years. I wondered how I would help the child be the best person; help with homework; keep the child from following the wrong people that he will call friends. All these thoughts rushed at me just hours after I gave birth. But each time I saw my son all I could do was smile and feel a well of love rush from me to him as I have never experienced before with another human being. When I brought my son home; I gave my son back to the LORD GOD and asked that HE help me be the best mother I can be towards my son. Sure I made lots of mistakes; we all do. But GOD told me watch my son grow; study the process because this is how we grow up and mature in the spirit. As I did I noticed how I too was growing up spiritually. I also began to understand what the Word of GOD was informing us of in this chapter of Matthew about being converted. When children are born with the exception of what they are hard wired for; they must be changed; taught to go from level one to level two in life. It’s the same with spiritual growth; we must be changed from what we know that is wrong to what is right and this takes a lot more time to do than it does with a child. A child is a clean slate; all that a child becomes is taught by what influenced the child. Children are naturally loving; gentle; kind; forgiving; joyful; peaceful; longsuffering; good and faithful [as much as a sinner can be]. Children like to hug; the more we push them away the more rejected they feel. Children like to please; the more they are yelled at for trying the more self-conscience they become. Children like to be loved they will follow anyone they think love is coming from; be it someone with treats; toys; animals. Children are trustworthy you tell them something and they don’t question it they just believe. I remember as a child being told that I was going somewhere and I was more disappointed more times than I care to remember until one day when I was told I was going someplace; I know longer believed. We are to go back to the days when we accepted just as children do when it comes to the promises and will of our LORD GOD. HE will not disappoint us; HE will encourage us by coming through with what HE said HE will do for us and teach us to become who we can be in HIM. We can evict the spirit of pride and take on humility; we can be teachers of love; kindness; encouragers; listeners and so forth when we are in the presence of a child. Be honest above all; nurture their growth in a positive way. Children are ever learning beings and adults are charged with what they learn. Just as we are charged with what we learn about the Kingdom of GOD; we are to encourage one another and speak about who our FATHER is to each other. Remember when you were a child and you used to say to your buddy; my daddy can do this or that; or my daddy is stronger than your daddy? What away to speak about our heavenly FATHER; the only difference is that in doing this you all maybe correct or you can correct your brother and sister to know just who their DADDY is and who they are. Being a CHRISTian and unkind to a child is the same as being unkind to JESUS; every harsh word spoken; lie or anything negative is the same as doing it to JESUS because you are rejecting JESUS when you don’t accept a child. Today with so many children being born in this world left to their own devices; we need to share kindness towards them because you may be the only person showing that you care. I remember my old child TV favorite show; Dennis the Menace with Jay North. He was a nuisance he was well loved by his family and neighbors but he got on his favorite neighbors nerves; good Ol Mr. Wilson. Yes, there were times when Mr. Wilson would send Dennis away but Mr. Wilson was always there for him also. As a matter of fact Mr. Wilson got himself in more trouble than Dennis ever could because Mr. Wilson was the adult and because of his trying to get over schemes using short cuts and listening to a child; he got in hot water. Mr. Wilson never really listened to Dennis to find out the outcome of his ideas; that’s what made the show funny. But in real life; we are to talk with and listen to children; encourage their ideas but we may need to tweak them a bit. Children have lots to say and when we really listen to children we can see where we can help guide them in this walk of life. Not only that; find entertainment for children that would show them how much fun it is to be a CHRISTian. I began my children off with some great animated children CHRISTian television and read books that were fun and took them to shows that fueled their need for being a kid. I may have not enjoyed listening to some of the music or entertainment that I had to sit through but the big picture is that it was not about me; it was all about them. Cute as they are; they are sinners and the LORD GOD does not want to see anyone perish.