Come and Welcome

In our church, we welcome the little children to the Lord’s Table. Why do we do this? We do this because the little children belong to Jesus. It seems absurd to let children come into the house but refuse to feed them. Feeding little children is nearly synonymous with kindness and love.

         It doesn’t take much to make a little one feel happy and welcome. A little treat will do. And to refuse to give the treat makes one feel as if you are being horribly selfish.

         How much more so if the food offered is high quality food, a sumptuous meal, something prepared with love and care? To refuse such food because the little child won’t appreciate it enough seems the epitome of selfishness, or maybe it is just a smugness that assumes a little child cannot appreciate a really fine bit of food.

         Just so, our little ones that can eat, can and do enjoy the very best of food, the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This meal is not for the strong and mighty but for the week and lowly. It is a means of growing strong and mighty and we would be unwise and maybe even selfish to refuse it to those who need it most. Come and welcome.