The apostle John loved to call his readers his “little children.” The Greek word is “teknion” which means “a little child.” It is also used of a tender term for a "teacher towards his disciples.” He calls them “little children” seven times in this book.
However, in 1 John 2:13, John changes the word. He wrote to the fathers because they knew God, the One who was from the beginning. He wrote to the young men because they had overcome the wicked one. But then I noticed with new alertness these words: “I write unto you, little children, because ye have KNOWN THE FATHER.”
This time he uses a different word, “paideion” which means “a little boy or little girl, infant, a young child.” I was arrested by these words. God wants our little children to know Him. Sometimes we don’t expect our children to know the Father until they are older, but this Scripture shows that God wants our little ones to know Him as Father too.
He wants them to experience the Father’s love and protection from their earthly fathers so they will understand His love. He also wants them to come to know Him through the hearing of the Scriptures.
We see this in 2 Timothy 3:15: “From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Here a different Greek word is used for child. This time it is “brephos” which speaks of “a babe in the womb, a babe that is newly born, a little child.” Check out Luke 1:4, 44 and 2:16. Once again, God is not limiting the understanding of knowing Him to older people. He wants little ones to know His Word.
How can this happen? It happens at our Family Bible times where father reads the Scriptures to the family morning and evening. Little by little the word goes into the hearts of these little ones (even when they are in the womb). In a godly home, even young children can be ready for salvation, because they are daily filled with God’s word. They can receive Christ Jesus into their lives at the ages of three and four because it is the Scriptures that prepare them for salvation. We are saved through the Word of Truth. Most of our children had a definite encounter with the Lord at the age of four years and it is still as real to them today although they are now in their late fifties!
Dear mothers, please be aware that your little ones can begin to KNOW God at an early age. Did you notice that word KNOW? Paul said to Timothy that he had KNOWN the Holy Scriptures since a little child. John wrote to the little children because they KNEW the Father.
Be faithful in reading the Scriptures daily to your children. Watch over their souls. Speak to them much of the Father and of His character and of His great salvation. Expect your little ones to desire to KNOW Him.
I am amazed and so utterly blessed as I watch little ones in our prayer meetings with their hands raised to God and looking up in adoring worship to God. Sometimes these little ones are more into worship than the older ones. They already KNOW something of the awe of their Father God.
Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 19:14 (NLY): “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them. For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”
Have a lovely day with your children,
Nancy Campbell
Picture: Selah Hartman. Selah was part of the wedding party of Vision and Eden’s wedding on Saturday. I took this picture of her as everyone was singing the hymn: “Worthy of every son we could ever sing, Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring.”