Children

It was good to be in the Lord's house on Sunday (1/21/2023). We had several children in the assembly. During lunch, sister Cheryl Whitley apologetically mentioned the "noise" coming from her crew and I just told her, "I love it." A few observations about kids in the assembly that we should all affirm:

• "Children are an heritage of the Lord." (Psalm 127:3) - they may make a little noise at times but they are a joyful heritage from God himself.

• The Lord said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." (Luke 18:16) - We are often inclined to think that church is an "adult thing" but the Lord's house is not segregated by age like that. The church is precisely where children should be every Sunday and the parents who make the effort to get them there are to be praised. Acquainting them with the Lord's house is one of the best things you can do for them.

• Paul told the Ephesian Elders, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers." (Acts 20:28) That whole flock undoubtedly included children (Ephesians 6:1-4) and they were to be instructed as the others.

Those are all undeniable truths of the Lord's New Testament church. Children need to be in the Lord's house even as their older brothers and sisters need to be there. Never underestimate the influence of the kingdom of God on little ones. It can have more effect on them than we realize.

- Elder Daniel Samons