“The Father is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”  Matthew 18:14

I suspect you know the parable of the lost sheep, generally taught as an evangelism passage in which believers are challenged to seek the lost. While it is a legitimate application of the parable, it is worth noting that the sheep Jesus refers to in this parable are actually children. The bookends on either side of the parable are parallel statements about the Father’s heart for children. 

On one end Jesus warns us not to look down on the children for “their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven”.  On the other side is His representation of the parable as a picture of the Father’s determination that none “of these little ones should be lost”. In this context, our Lord’s passion for and high value given to children is obvious—as is the implication for us.

We are given but one life to live and invest for the Kingdom that the next generations may know and walk in the truth. Whether it is our own grandchildren or the children in our churches and neighborhoods, if we fail to intentionally embrace the Father’s heart for our children, we effectively surrender them to the Enemy who will destroy them for all eternity. The consequences for them and for us are not insignificant.

I must admit that I am increasingly impatient with adults of my generation and beyond who choose to spend their lives and assets on themselves while investing almost nothing of themselves in the next generations. There is nothing wrong with enjoying some much-deserved rest and relaxation. Our bodies need it. Our souls may also need it.

On the other hand, there is nothing right about wasting our lives on frivolous ventures while totally ignoring our responsibility to use every asset God has given us to make sure none of these little ones perish. How are you spending your life for the next generations? What will you answer the Master when He asks you to give account for all He gave you?

I urge you to take inventory of the assets God has entrusted to you—material and non-material. Ask God to show you how you can invest and distribute these assets NOW as a way of expressing the Father’s heart for the little ones. If you’re not sure how to do that, I have a free download available to help you work through this process and what it is about. I call it the Living Will and I encourage you to consider doing this with your family. Click Here for your free download.

GRANDPAUSE: All our activity is sowing; and so is our inactivity. – John Blanchard