21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
22 And when he had done this he wept again;
23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.
(3 Nephi 17:21-23)
Jesus ministered to children, both during His mortal ministry and during His subsequent visit to the American continent. As described in the passage above, He blessed them, He prayed for them, and He shed tears of joy as He interacted with them.
Why does the Savior love children so much? He not only enjoyed their company but encouraged adults to emulate them:
And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God (3 Nephi 11:37-38)
Children are genuine. They speak with sincerity and express their true opinions. Instead of presenting a mask to others, calculated to meet their expectations, they show their true selves and express their true thoughts and feelings. Jesus consistently condemned hypocrisy during His mortal ministry, so it is unsurprising that He would enjoy the company of children and appreciate their sincerity and openness.
Today, I will strive to serve children as the Savior would. I will appreciate opportunities I have to spend time with children, including my own. I will appreciate their honesty and directness. And I will take advantage of opportunities to bless their lives and to pray for them as the Savior did.
Leave a Reply