Children and Adults

Children and Adults
Matthew 18:1-10
The month 'May' is family month. In Korea, May 5 is children's day, and May 8 is parents' day. In Canada May 13 is mother's day, June 17 is father's day and September 9 is grandparents' day. But there is no children's day in Canada, so some foreigners may think that Canadians do not love children.
But think. The government of Canada gives child tax benefit, which we call 'milk money' for every child. It means that Canadians love children very much. But there is no children's day in Canada. Why? I think all of the days except mother's day, father's day and grandparents' day are the children's days in Canada.
Brothers and sisters, I think it is same that oriental people, western people and other people love their children. Especially Jesus loves children very much, and he said, "The kingdom of God belongs to children."(Luke 18:16) Today, let's take a look at the words of God about children, and let's have a good attitude toward children.
1. Who are children?
Psalms 127:3 says, "Children are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." It means my children are not my belongings but God's children. Therefore parents have to raise them according to the will of God, not will of us. Parents do not have to make children their robots. Parents are not the owners of them but the managers. If managers spoil the children, the owner God will rebuke the managers. Verse 5 says, "Whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me." But some adults think the children bothersome, so that even some adult Christians do not count the children as their numbers.
But Jesus said, "The kingdom of God belongs to children." "If anyone causes one of these little ones to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."(Verse 6) "Do not look down on one of these little ones. For their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."(Verse 10)
Parents do not have to abuse children. As you know, abortion is prevalent in Korea. But abortion is against the will of God. Jesus said, "God is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost."(Matthew 18:14)
And Jesus said, "If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, he will certainly not lose his reward."(Matthew 10:42) If we raise children according to the will of God, God will reward us.
2. Learn from children.
Verse 3 says, "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." It means adults have to learn from children how to enter the kingdom of heaven. And verse 4 says, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Adults want to exalt themselves, they want a higher position, and they have strong desire for fame. But adults have to learn from children how to humble themselves. Jesus also says, "Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."(Mark 10:15)
It means adults have to learn from children how to support the kingdoms of God. Adults have to serve the kingdom of God with the pure heart like children. Bible says, "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk."(1 Peter 2:2)
3. Teach children.
Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." What should we teach children? Bible says, "Impress these commandments on your children."(Proverbs 6:7) "Bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord."(Ephesians 6:4) "Assemble your children, so they must hear and learn to fear the Lord your God."(Deuteronomy 31:13) Jesus also said, "Feed my lambs."(John 21:15)
The best way to teach children is to show good examples to children. My daughter Joo Hee likes to follow me. If I brush my teeth, she also brushes her teeth. If I wash my car, she also wants to wash my car. Children learn from their parents. If parents use a bad language, their children learn it from the parents. So we have to teach children with good examples. We have to teach them how to pray, how to love, how to serve, with our good examples.
4. Discipline children.
Bible says, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him."(Proverbs 13:24) Some parents not only spare the rod to their children but also they worship their children like idols. That is not the good attitude but the attitude against the words of God. Bible obviously says, "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him."(Proverbs 22:15) It does not mean that adults should hit children but discipline them in good ways.
In 1 Samuel 3 God said, "I will judge Eli's family forever because of the sin he knew about ; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them."(1 Samuel 3:13) The high priest Eli had two sons. They treated the Lord's offerings with contempt. They had no reward for the Lord. And they slept with the women who served at the entrance to Tent of Meeting. They were wicked men. But Eli did not discipline them. That's why God told that he would judge Eli's family forever. Finally Eli's two sons were killed in the battle, and Eli's neck was broken and he died.
Let's look at 1 King 1. The king David had the son named 'Absalom' who was very handsome. David never disciplined him and never interfered with by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" Finally Absalom rebelled against David and tried to kill his father David. Bible says, "The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother."(Proverbs 29:15)
Conclusion : Children sometimes are the teachers of adults. They are the heroes of future, and the heritage from God. Therefore adults have to be concerned with children, and adults have to love, teach and discipline them according to the words of God, so that our future will be better and brighter. Amen!