Mark 10:16
Jesus
took children in His arms. If this part of the story hit the news today, there
would be child abuse investigations. I mean, think about it. Jesus took
children in His arms. How much worse could it get! Call Child Protective
Services! (In case you don’t notice, I am being sarcastic.)
We
live in a very strange day and age. Even the smallest things gets blow up. I
know we need to provide protection for our children. There are some really
nasty people out there, people who want to take advantage of childhood
innocence. I am sure some who read these words had their innocence taken. So I
don’t approach this subject lightly. The pain of that is very real and the
damage can penetrate the core of our being.
Parents
had brought children to Jesus. They knew something was different about Him.
Perhaps they had seen the miraculous power that He brought to the table.
Perhaps they had just heard reports of Jesus’ activity, of His care and
kindness. We don’t really know all the background of these parents and
children. We do know that they brought the children to Jesus so that He could
lay His hands on them.
Laying
on of hands is a ritual that isn’t very popular in many circles today. We see
it in the news when the Pope puts his hands on the head of people and prays or
blesses them. We might see it in church, if our church practices it. People
come forward during the service and people gather around that person, reach out
their hands and pray for them. There can be something very wonderful about
knowing that you are not alone, that others care about your situation.
There
have been enough scandals hitting the news about people, usually people in an
authority position, like a teacher or coach, who touched those under their care
inappropriately. And because of this reality that gets splashed all over our
consciousness, we are often especially on guard and on alert for inappropriate
behavior. Most school teachers are now trained to never touch a child in any
manner. They can’t bring treats for the kids. They must keep kids at an arms
length.
But
there is healthy touch for children. Jesus takes these children in His arms and
puts His hands on them and blesses them. I know thousands flock every year to
see the Pope in hopes that he will lay his hands on them and bless them. We
often feel honored when someone we really respect takes time for us, even if it
is only an honest handshake and a few words. For some these moments are
life-transforming moments.
So
just because someone gets down on a child’s level and pays attention to them, perhaps
even returning a hug initiated by the child, doesn’t mean the touch was
inappropriate. We all need many more hugs than we get. I know Ebola virus and
flesh eating viruses are out there, but I don’t think it is time to stop
exchanging appropriate gestures of support.