Key Thought

Today's Prayer

O Father in heaven, thank you. Thank you for the gift of children. Thank you for the gift of future. Thank you for the gift of wild-eyed wonder. Help me to show the children around me that they are special and important—not only to me, but also to you.

Today's Verses in Context

People brought their small children to Jesus, so that Jesus could touch them. But the followers told the people to stop bringing their children to Jesus. Jesus saw what happened. He did not like his followers telling the children not to come. Jesus said to them, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people that are like these little children. I tell you the truth. You must accept the kingdom of God like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it." Then Jesus held the children in his arms. Jesus put his hands on them and blessed them. Jesus started to leave, but a man ran to him and bowed on his knees before Jesus. The man asked, "Good teacher, what must I do to get the life that never ends?" Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good? No person is good. Only God is good. {But I will answer your question.} You know the commands: 'You must not murder anyone, you must not do the sin of adultery, you must not steal, you must not lie, you must not cheat, you must honor (respect) your father and mother

Related Scripture Readings

Then they came to the town of Jericho. Jesus was leaving that town with his followers and many other people. A blind man named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting by the road. This man was always begging for money. The blind man heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. The blind man shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, please help me!" Many people criticized the blind man. They told him not to speak. But the blind man shouted more and more, "Son of David, please help me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Tell the man to come here." So they called the blind man. They said, "Be happy! Stand up! Jesus is calling you." The blind man stood quickly. He left his coat there and went to Jesus. Jesus asked the man, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man answered, "Teacher, I want to see again." Jesus said, "Go. You are healed because you believed." Then the man was able to see again. He followed Jesus on the road.

Later the apostles began to argue about which one of them was the most important. But Jesus said to them, "The kings of the world rule over their people. Men who have authority over other people make the people call them 'great helpers {of the people}.' But you must not be like that. The greatest person should become like the youngest person! Leaders should be like servants. Who is more important: the person sitting at the table or the person serving him? You think the person sitting at the table is more important. But I am like a servant among you!

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. A person must be born again. If a person is not born again, then that person cannot be in God's kingdom." Nicodemus said, "But if a person is already old, how can he be born again? A person cannot enter his mother's body again! So a person cannot be born a second time!" But Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. A person must be born from water and the Spirit. If a person is not born from water and the Spirit, then he cannot enter God's kingdom. A person's body is born from his human parents. But a person's spiritual life is born from the Spirit. Don't be surprised that I told you, 'You must be born again.'