Children, Hugs, and Covid

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Scripture:

13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 19:13–15.

Devotion:

            One day this last week as I was walking my route as census taker, I got a genuinely nice surprise. As I was walking down the sidewalk, I was approached by a mother walking with her children. When suddenly one of the children, a 5-year-old girl starts sprinting toward me. As fast as her little legs could carry her, she ran toward me. I did not have time to think about viruses and social distancing. I knelt down and received her hug.

            Her mom came along and immediately started scolding the youngster for what she has done. I not wanting to interfere with parent-child relationship said only that she had meant no harm by it and I certainly was not offended by this genuine display of unconditional love. As I had a chance to think about the encounter, I suggested that it really had been since March (it is now August nearly September) since I had a hug at all. And a good deal longer since I had a hug with that much love.

            As for the scripture I have selected let me first offer this disclaimer; I am not Jesus, and I have failed too often to show the love of Jesus toward others. I can just see Jesus with the little children playing games and enjoying all the wonderfulness children can offer. What would a child think if he/she had been rejected by him. The sadness would have been terrible to behold. A sadness that would have been repeated if I had rejected this little girl on the streets of Rochelle.

            Having never been a stickler for the rules anyway, I encourage all of us to look for times (like the little girl did) when we can be more socially close than socially distant. And if and when the social distancing is over that we greet each other with real passionate hugs. That we never refuse to give or receive a hug because we might be refusing Jesus in the process.

 

Prayer:

Father God help us to see God’s children the way Jesus did with a loving and open spirit. Help us realize we are all God’s children in need of Jesus love. May we feel the arms that reached out and touched a leper reach out and touch us this day and every day.

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