This Week's Story
click here to play audioGrandpa's love reminds me of Jesus' love of children.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Get Away!
I stood on top of Grandma’s toilet, not on the seat, but on the very top. I was not where I was supposed to be. As I peered out the window at the next door neighbor, I had trouble seeing the lady Grandma was talking about. I moved my head. Crack! A large hanging plant crashed down, breaking the toilet’s ceramic lid. Oh no! Instantly, Grandma was mad! “You wait, Barbara, until your grandpa gets home.”
I waited; and he came home. Grandma told him about the broken toilet lid and the shattered plant container. He sat down and tapped his knee, “Come here, Barbara.”
I did, and sat on his lap. He rubbed his whiskers against my face and smiled. That was my punishment. It was enough. He loved me and understood my impatience. I felt his love and I wanted to be more careful about what I did.
Grandpa’s love reminds me of Jesus’ love of children.
Once as a crowd swarmed to hear Jesus, some parents brought their children to him. His helpers called, “Get away! This is no time or place for babies and kids. You parents should have some sense. The crowds are huge today and he’s teaching.”
“But, we want him to bless our children.”
“Not today!”
Jesus heard the argument and spoke sternly to his helpers, “Don’t keep the children away from me. Let them come. My kingdom is for children like these.”
He turned to the kids. His eyes and smile were welcoming as he put out his arms. The kids came eagerly. He held them in his arms, one by one, and prayed for each one. What a happy time it was!
Another day Jesus was asked, “Who will be important in your kingdom?”
He called a young child, “Come to me.” The child came. He felt safe when he looked at Jesus’ face. As Jesus picked him up, the people around could easily see him. “Believe me; you adults need the openness of a child. If any of you are willing to be humble, then you will be great in the kingdom. Being arrogant will get you nowhere.”
He looked at the little boy, who was curiously feeling Jesus’ beard. Jesus promised, “Whenever you make a child feel loved and welcome, you are welcoming me. But, if you are the cause of a child doing wrong and losing his faith in me, that is so terrible, that it would be better for you to be drowned in an ocean.”
Once in Jerusalem in the temple for worshipping God some kids were accused unfairly. Jesus defended them. He had found part of the temple turned into a market for buying and selling. Some of the prices were unfair and there was too much noise. He told all the salespeople and buyers, “Stop what you are doing and get out of the temple.”
He turned over tables that were being used by cashiers to change money. He declared loudly, “God’s house is for prayer, but you have made it a house of thieves.”
Then crippled and blind people came to him and asked to be healed. As Jesus healed them, boys began to cheer. They shouted, “Praise to the son of David!” This was a name of great respect. The temple leaders, who used the market to make money and despised Jesus, became angry. “These children upset the purpose of the temple.”
Jesus replied, “Haven’t you men read in the scrolls how children can praise in wonderful ways? They have it right.”
This is Barbara Steiner today with stories of Jesus’ love for children. Enjoy thisweek’sstory.com.
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