Children Understated the Fear of God

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Matthew 21:15-16

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying…

It has been my pleasure lately to admit to the church a large number of little children, and I can say of each of them as I have talked with them — and I put many rather difficult questions to them about the things of God — and whenever the question has been vital, there has never been any hesitancy as to the answer. I had years ago a good brother who felt it necessary to put questions to young children which I did not like. He asked one child, "Have you given your heart to the Lord?" The little boy said, "Yes, sir." "Oh," my friend said, "you see his ignorance." I said, "Has the Lord given you a new heart?" "Yes, sir, the Lord Jesus gave me a new heart when I believed in Him, and I know it was a good one." My friend was shut up, and he did not ask any more questions of children for a great time. Perhaps what they know is truer wisdom sometimes than what the elders know. I read some time ago that the Jews permit children to read the Scriptures when they are five years old, but not the Talmud till they are fifteen. God help me to keep on reading the Scriptures and never get to the Talmud at all. Some will get so old that it is all Talmud with them — very little Bible. With the children there is no Talmud; they just keep to the smooth road. What they know is worth the knowing, whereas much that we know is worse than nothing, and it would be a great blessing if we forget it. Children can be quick in understanding in the fear of the Lord.

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