“Just then a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, because he’s my only child.” Luke 9:38 HCSB
Then all of a sudden a man from the crowd stands out to get Jesus’ attention. He has only one son who desperately needs Jesus' attention.
How many single child homes do we see in the gospels?
“Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was also with her.”
Luke 7:12 HCSB
The first one to come to mind was the widow’s son. Jesus recognized that she no longer had someone to take care of her. He probably saw her future was in bondage to bill collectors. With her son raised, he would be able to work and take care of her.
“Just then, a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet and pleaded with Him to come to his house, because he had an only daughter about 12 years old, and she was at death’s door. While He was going, the crowds were nearly crushing Him.”
Luke 8:41-42 HCSB
Then there was Jairus, a ruler of the local synagogue who sought out Jesus to heal his only daughter. She was at the age she would begin the marriage process. Her husband to be will be paying the bride price to her father to marry her.
And then there is God. He had only one son by birth, Jesus.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 HCSB
But then he has adopted us back into His family.
“Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:23-26 HCSB
“Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.”
Matthew 23:9 HCSB
“But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name,”
John 1:12 HCSB
“The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs — heirs of God and coheirs with Christ — seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
Romans 8:16-17 HCSB
The needs of these single child parents are real but so is God’s love for them, their children, and us. He has a super extra place in His heart for children. He desires all the children of the world to discover His love. And holds a high standard for those who teach kids.
“But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me — it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea!”
Matthew 18:6 HCSB
This does not just apply to children's pastors, but everyone who is teaching children, from school teachers to parents.
God really loves Children!
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