In a former church where I served, there was (before I became that church’s Pastor) a family who began to attend, as they were new to town. After I had been there for several years, I learned that one week some sainted soul in the church mailed a copy of the bulletin to this particular family, highlighting in yellow the notice about the church’s nursery being available during worship. The less-than-subtle message was, “You are welcome in worship, but your children are not.”
Such a story is the kind of thing that makes the Savior’s blood boil. And this Pastor’s as well.
I would rather lead worship in a Sanctuary that contains chattering children and squirmy toddlers than a funeral-like room where I wondered if anyone was breathing. If you doubt that the Lord loves children, just reread today’s text. Sure, I get it that a crying child is a distraction and that some parents today probably need to be coached on how to engage their children in worship. But at the end of the day, it is our own childlike — not childish — acceptance of Jesus that opens the door of faith for each one of us.
When I read that Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them, I hear again Frank Harrington’s voice at baptism: “You are a child of God, and we claim all of His promises today on your behalf.”