Matthew 19:14
Here we have another seemingly simple passage that we may have learnt as children or heard in a story at some time. But, simple It is not!
When we look at the passage we immediately think of Jesus and a group of little kids swarming around him as he tells them a story. However, there is another perspective we should note.
in this other view, the ‘children’ are actually adults. The Lord often calls us children, particularly when we are young in the faith. It is one of the early stages in our growth. He also called the people of Israel children.
When people are on a spiritual journey, they sometimes find they can grow no further in knowledge and understanding than that of their leaders.
When they desire a deeper relationship with the Saviour than perhaps those leaders have, often they have to leave the church to get it, as some church leaders do not want people smarter or more knowledgeable than themselves. Those leaders then unknowingly (and sometimes knowingly) ‘forbid’ them to move into that deeper relationship, by counselling them out of it.
The Apostle Paul found this. He had to go on further than all before him and throw safety to the wind to gain what others could not see.
We ourselves have to ensure we don’t hold people back by what we say and do. There are many ministries in the body of Christ, and much deeper relationships to be had than maybe we have at the moment, and we should remember that before we start ‘counselling’ those who appear to be running faster than we are.
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