Jesus loves the little children… Do we?
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Searching the Scriptures
David A. Bass, Rockford Church of Christ
“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world; red and yellow, black and white;
they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world.”
What a wonderful song! Jesus loves red and yellow, black and white; DO WE? Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35).
These words were directed to the disciples of Jesus and set forth the attitude of heart that Christians should have for one another. But, our love is not limited to our fellow-Christians, for we are to love all men (literally, red and yellow, black and white). “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also
to love one another” (I John 4:10-11).
Love causes us to treat others as we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12) and prevents mistreatment such as prejudice! Love (I Corinthians 13:4-7) will not allow us to judge other people by the color of their skin, where they were born, or how they talk. Prejudice was a real problem in the 1st Century. The Jews and Gentiles hated one another.
Under the Old Testament the descendants of Abraham (Jews) had been God’s chosen people, but under the New Testament all men are equal in the sight of God. During a trance (read Acts 10:9-16) God taught Peter this important lesson. In this same chapter of Acts we find that Peter went into the house of Cornelius (a Gentile) and taught him and his family and friends the gospel. Concerning that occasion we read, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:34-35). Up until this time the gospel was only being preached to the Jews, but now salvation was made available to all men (Jews and Gentiles)!
Sadly, Peter forgot this great truth “that God is no respecter of persons” when some important, but prejudiced, Christians came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. Because of these men Peter, Barnabas and other Jewish Christians stopped fellow-shipping with the Gentiles in that region.
It was because of this that Paul rebuked the apostle Peter publicly (Galatians 2:11-14), and in verse
14 he said that “they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel.” These Jews
were prejudiced!
Many people today are likewise prejudiced! We often hear of a “Black church” being burned or of some other form of prejudice. If we are prejudiced toward one who is Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Latino, etc., then we are not walking “uprightly according to the truth of the gospel.”
Calling others names because of their skin color or making slang or cutting remarks is sinful! Prejudicial jokes have no place in the life of a Christian. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (I John 4:7-8).
We further read in I John 4:21, “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
Hatred (prejudice is a form of hatred) will cause us to lose our soul. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (I John 3:15).
Surely no one would consider themselves a “Christian”” (Christ-like) and show prejudice (hatred) towards others.
There is not room in our hearts for prejudice and hatred! May we all love God, His word
and one another (even as Christ loved us – I John 4:11).
David A. Bass has been preaching for the last 42 years and has preached in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, and northern Russia. He began preaching for the Rockford Church of Christ in December 2022. He has done mission work in Costa Rica, Scotland, India, and Russia, as well. He is married to Kathy Isbell Bass, and they have 10 children and 11 grandchildren. If you have a Bible question or comments, please write to: Rockford Church of Christ; 8997 U.S. Hwy. 231; Rockford, AL 35136; or you may email Bass at: dabass1962@aol.com.