POWERFUL YET APPROACHABLE
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray . . . . Matthew 19:13 (NKJV)
Jesus was an extremely approachable person, a point demonstrated in the verse above. It tells of a group of parents who had brought their children to Jesus so that He could bless them. Luke used the word infant in his gospel (Luke 18:15), so these children were actually brand-new babes whose ages would have been measured by months rather than years.
They were still in that vulnerable stage of life that requires the attentive oversight of a protective parent.
Now imagine for a moment that you're one of these parents. Your baby is the closest thing to your heart; you waited as the pregnancy progressed; you endured the travail of labor; you have kept vigilant watch during sleepless nights; you have ensured that your baby is clean, comfortable, and well fed; and you have done it all with a sense of joy because that little bundle of life is your baby.
You would even give your life for your baby's sake, if necessary.
With that in mind, you're going to think twice before you allow a man you don't know very well to hold your little one. But this is what these parents did as they handed their babies over to Jesus. There was an approachable quality about Jesus that assured these mothers and fathers that their cherished children would be safe in His arms, which is all the more amazing since this was the same man who had previously cleared out the temple courts by force (please refer to December 13).
Power and approachability don't usually go hand in hand, but in Jesus we find a man who possessed enough toughness to overturn tables yet enough tenderness to convince parents they could hand their babies over to Him. Jesus was powerful and approachable, a truth we would do well to remember as we come before His throne of grace.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:16 NKJV)
Discuss with your group characteristics that are common in people who are approachable.
Dig into Matthew 19:13–14. What was the difference between the disciples’ response and Jesus’ response?
Decide to work on making yourself more approachable. Ask three friends how they feel when they’re around you, and then take steps to be a more accurate reflection of the grace and mercy of Jesus.
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