Thursday Thoughts: “And Jesus Loved the Little Children”

“Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 19:14 (ESV)

In my early life, I spent years in emergency medicine. I rode ambulances, fought fires, responded to natural disasters, and saw the worst things mankind can do to one another. Death, destruction, heartbreak—those things never truly rattled me. I knew my role, and I knew what to do.

But put me in a church sanctuary with a hundred kids rehearsing for the annual Christmas program?
Now that will stress me to the max.

I’m not the director. I’m not the wrangler. I’m just the guy running the words, sound, and video—making sure parents hear their babies speak and grandparents across the country get a clear livestream. But every year, without fail, it feels chaotic. Loud. Dizzying. Overwhelming.

Then the program ends.

And every single time, I walk away thinking, What a blessing.
A church full of children is a church full of life. A youth program overflowing with kids isn’t a burden—it’s a sign that God is still working. A church without children is like a body without exercise—aging too fast, losing strength, inching toward death. No church lasts forever. Corinth, Philippi, Galatia—those congregations are long gone. But the ones that endure for generations are the ones that pour into their young.

Jesus understood this.
His final earthly command?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” — Matthew 28:19 (ESV)

He didn’t say, “Go gather only the mature.”
He didn’t say, “Go build big buildings.”
He said, “Make disciples”—which means there must always be a next generation coming behind us.

Why was this His final instruction?
Because the faith dies if disciples aren’t made.
Because the gospel spreads only when believers multiply.
Because Christianity has never been a solo sport.

Jesus Himself didn’t walk alone. Before anyone knew Him as Messiah, He began forming a youth program—twelve ordinary men. Fishermen. Tax collectors. Zealots. He discipled them long before they understood what was happening. He walked with them, taught them, corrected them, encouraged them, and sent them out. They became His spiritual children, and through them the church was born.

That is the model.
Christianity grows when Christians grow Christians.

So when I stand in the sanctuary watching stressed volunteers herd kids like cats…
When I adjust microphones for the fifth time…
When I wonder how we’ll ever get through the performance…
God gently reminds me:

This is discipleship.
This is the Great Commission in miniature.
This is the kingdom of God in sneakers and Christmas sweaters.

We are shaping young hearts.
We are teaching them who Jesus is.
We are giving them memories tied to the house of God.
We are investing in a generation that will outlive us and one day lead us.

And so today, I urge you—if you are walking alone in your faith, you will eventually wither.
We were never meant to be solitary believers.
We were meant to teach, encourage, support, and multiply.

Go make disciples.
Maybe it’s one person.
Maybe it’s a small group.
Maybe it’s a child, a neighbor, a coworker, or a stranger.
Maybe it’s a long-term relationship or a two-minute conversation.

But obey the last words of Jesus:
Go. Make. Disciples.

Prayer
Father, thank You for the gift of children and the reminder that Your kingdom grows through discipleship. Give us the courage and compassion to invest in others, to teach, to encourage, and to walk alongside those who are young in faith. Help us to be faithful to Your Great Commission and joyful in the work You’ve placed before us. In Christ’s name.

Takeaway
Where there are children—physically or spiritually—there is hope.
Where disciples are being made, the church lives.
Go find someone to pour into today.