Children always get it right...
But when the chief priests and scribes saw
the wonderful things that He did,
and the children crying out in the temple and saying,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
. . . and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,
‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have perfected praise’?”
Matthew 21:15-16
Children always get it right. You know. No filter, no sophistication, ultra-spontaneous, no presumption – simply speaking what they see and hear literally. What they know to be true.
As Jesus entered the temple, where the priests and Sanhedrin were lying in wait for His capture, all sorts of bedlam was taking place. In righteous anger, Jesus began overturning the temple tables, coins of currency were scattered, and fur from the sacrificial animals was flying. Everyone was in an uproar. And in the middle of it all, the children began to sing.
Yes, there is something about excellence in the church that has profound meaning. We should do our best and give our all to any endeavor for His Kingdom. Yesterday, I encouraged a young, anointed worship pastor to head back to school to perfect her ability to worship and better mentor those under her tutelage. Nevertheless, when our pursuit of perfect becomes more about the pursuit of performance, we have crossed a line somewhere.
So, let’s never forget the way children worship Him. Oh, if we could just take their cue in praise and thanksgiving. Unfiltered, unsophisticated, spontaneous, and not always perfectly pitched, because it is our hearts, He longs for most.
Yes, out of the mouths of babes – we could learn a thing or two...