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!” they were indignant 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, NKJV.
Gracious God, We delight to listen to the praise offered to You by our children. We ask that You will make us childlike in our worship and praise, as we sit and learn at Your feet. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Is it possible that the chief priests and scribes could not appreciate the praise of the children because their ears were not accustomed to the sound of “perfected praise?” I cannot understand how anyone could be indignant at the sound of children praising the Lord! Except, of course, they are people like those in our Scripture for today. I believe children are oftentimes much wiser than we give them credit for. Listen to how our Scripture begins: “But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did” – The adults saw the wonderful things that Jesus did, but they did not praise Him. The children saw the same wonderful things, and in the freedom of their innocence, they could fully appreciate them, and they “praised” the Savior!
The more I observe, and study, the innocence of children, the more I can appreciate Jesus’ words, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Mark 10: 15). The chief priests and the scribes, even though they knew that no man had ever done the things that Christ had done, and even though they were under the conviction that He was not just another religious leader, they tried, to quiet their consciences, by trying to quiet the children. But this was not to be! The Savior was coming to the end of His journey here on earth, and what the adults failed to do, God would bring about through the innocence of childhood – He would perfect praise, “out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants[!]”
As we draw close to the coming of Jesus Christ, God is once again, going to use the mouths of our children, to proclaim the “Good News,” that we the adults have been hesitant in proclaiming. At the present time, I wish we could hear more from our little ones at church. We hear it said, with some degree of frequency, that our children and youth, are the leaders of tomorrow. But I believe that they are to be prepared and ready, to do service today!
I do not believe that when the parents of those children took them to church that day, that either they, or their children, were aware that they were going to be used by God, as the “Praise Team” for the day! But thanks be to God, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the children’s tongues were loosened, and they broke forth in anthems of perfect praise to the Savior! It is very likely that those lyrics had been learned in the “church at home,” where morning and evening worship was held; and where they had heard their mothers and fathers praising the works of the Savior! So powerful was the praise, that they could not be intimidated into keeping quiet – not even by the religious leaders of their day!
There wasn’t perfect harmony in church that day. The religious leaders were condemning Jesus for allowing the children and the common people to hail Him as the Messiah (Son of David)! They asked Him: “Do you hear what these are saying?” They were really asking Him, “Do you hear what they are calling You?” These were the church leaders of the day, but they did not recognize that, “The Lord of the Temple,” was in the house! Yet the children and the common people did! Do you see why it is so important that our children, even our “babes and infants,” be taught the ways of the Lord, and then given an opportunity to express their praise?
When we, the adults, get stuck in our ways, and cannot see where the Lord is trying to lead us, or hear, what He is trying to say, God will use the children and youth, who are willing channels, waiting to be used by Him, to get His message out. And it is in them, that He will perfect His praise! May God help us to train them well, and then step aside, and give them an opportunity to worship Him with innocent, child-like, praise!
NOTE: These counsels are shared from a Biblical, not a clinical, perspective.