September 17, 2022 8:00 pm
At a primary school in Greenock, Scotland, three teachers on maternity leave brought their babies to school every two weeks to interact with schoolchildren. Playtime with babies teaches children empathy, or care and feeling for others. Most receptive often are the children who are “a little challenging,” as one teacher put it. “It’s often [they] who interact more on a one-to-one level.” They learn “how much hard work it is to take care of a child,” and “more about each other’s feelings as well.”
Learning from an infant to care about others isn’t a new idea to believers in Jesus. We know the One who came as the baby Jesus. His birth changed everything we understand about caring relationships. The first to learn of Christ’s birth were shepherds, a humble profession involving care of weak and vulnerable sheep. Later, when children were brought to Jesus, He corrected disciples who thought children unworthy. “Let the little children come to me,” he said, “and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14).
Showing the essence of empathy, Jesus “took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them” (v. 16). In our own lives, as His sometimes “challenging” children, we could be considered unworthy, too. Instead, as the One Who came as a child, the Lord accepts us with His love—thereby teaching us the caring power of loving babies and all people.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled, Learning and Loving, was written by Patricia Rabin. At a primary school in Greenock, Scotland, three teachers on maternity leave brought their babies to school every two weeks to interact with school children. Playtime with babies teaches children empathy, or care and feeling for others. Often the most receptive are the students who are a little challenging, as one teacher put it.
It's often school children who interact more on a one-to-one level. They learn how much hard work it is to take care of a child, and more about each other's feelings as well. Learning from an infant to care about others isn't a new idea to believers in Jesus. We know the One who came as the baby Jesus.
His birth changed everything we understand about caring relationships. The first to learn of Christ's birth were shepherds, a humble profession involving care of weak and vulnerable sheep. Later, when children were brought to Jesus, He corrected disciples who thought children unworthy. Let the little children come to Me, He said in Mark chapter 10, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Jesus took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them. In our own lives, as His sometimes challenging children, we could be considered unworthy too. Instead, as the One who came as a child, Christ accepts us with His love, thereby teaching us the caring power of loving babies and all people.
Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Mark chapter 10, verses 13 through 16. People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Truly, I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them. Let's pray together. Our Caring God, thank You for loving us and teaching us to value all people equally. When we fail to show empathy for others, remind us of how You love and value us. Then help us do the same for others. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Joyce Dinkins, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-02-24 14:57:07 / 2023-02-24 14:58:32 / 1
