Watch Out for the Kids; In Fact, Let’s All Become Just Like Them!
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16
STEAM Camp this year was a circus of joy. We focused on Dive Deep the science of the ocean. We had the whole building decorated like a giant Aquarium; we had an oceanographer there who did scuba diving in the waterfall. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. And the Bible. We all had a blast with so many different classes and play times, Bible Stories, music, and much much more.
Kids were bouncing off the walls, counselors were half-sprinting with name tags flying, and the parents—God bless them—looked like they were either about to cry or apply for sainthood.
But when those children came through the doors and saw last year’s counselors? They lit up like Christmas morning. They hugged each other like long-lost siblings. No shyness, no filters, no judgment. Just joy. Raw and loud and honest.
It made me think of Jesus. Not Jesus the stained-glass statue, solemn and glowing. Jesus the Real. The one who invited chaos. The one who welcomed sticky fingers and muddy sandals. The one who got rebuked by his own disciples because He didn’t have the “good sense” to keep the kids quiet.
I wonder if Jesus was hyperactive Himself. Maybe He couldn’t sit still at synagogue. Maybe He cracked jokes at the wrong time. Maybe He was always stirring things up, like a divine blender with the lid off. Because when He was around, there was movement. There was fun. There was hope. And yes—probably a little mess.
And He said: “To such belongs the Kingdom of God.”
Which means friends, that heaven might look more like Chuck E. Cheese than a cathedral. It might sound more like kids laughing than choirs chanting. It might feel more like Steam Camp than a solemn ceremony.
So yeah bring your Tylenol. The Kingdom isn’t built for quiet. It’s built for kids. And the kid-hearted.
“To be a child is to live with eyes wide open, heart unlocked, and arms ready to hug.”
– Dr. Dale Caleb White
Today’s Joke: Why don’t kids worry about heaven?
Because they already think slides and pizza are eternal.
Your Takeaway: Let the children come. Let their mess, their wonder, their noise come too. And let your own inner child rise—Because if you can’t receive the Kingdom like a kid, you’ll miss the party.
Join us this Sunday, Pastor Mark will be preaching on this passage, and the kids will be singing at 10:30 am.
Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim White