Everyone loves how Jesus related to children. Episode 3 in season 1 of The Chosen series depicts Jesus engaging with children in delightful ways (in fact, if you haven’t watched The Chosen, it’s well worth your time).

Jesus stopped his disciples from shooing away a gaggle of kids brought to him by their parents. He said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Really? I’m in line with the disciples on this one—pat the kids on the head and let’s get back to adult conversation. What endeared children to Jesus in such a strong way?

Innocence? Kids aren’t innocent. Kindness? Not necessarily. Unselfish? Kids can be as selfish as anyone I know. Intelligent? Some yes, some no. Cleanliness? Ha.

The truth lies closer to their concept of self.

The children ran to Jesus with humility. They didn’t stack up their good qualities for Jesus, they just stood wide-eyed before Jesus. They trusted Jesus. It seems that children enjoyed being with Jesus, not just getting something from Jesus.

As an adult I feel the need to prove myself. I’m better at using others. Humbleness takes a back seat to, well, everything else.

Not so much with these children. Nothing to prove, nothing to show, they just let Jesus bless them.

And, I have a feeling that Jesus enjoyed the enthusiasm, laughter and silliness that children bring—seems like he didn’t get much of that.

Matthew 19 in week thirty-two of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Larm Rmah

This is a warning, of course.

Hosea wrote this phrase under the inspiration of the Lord, as part of a litany of threats against Israel: The people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law…Israel has rejected what is good…with their silver and gold they make idols for themselves…my anger burns against them.

They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.

Reminds me of Dust in the Wind, by Kansas (fyi, one of the greatest bands of the rock era).

Hosea preached his sermons to a nation far removed from its devotion to the Lord under kings David and Solomon. Every compromise over the years, every giving in to the expediency of leaving the rigorous path laid out by the Lord, constituted sowing to the wind.

The whirlwind blew back in the form of invaders who raped and pillaged and hauled off most all the people. Total disaster.

I glimpse how this principle—sowing and reaping—worked in world affairs through the centuries. A study of history, the causes of wars and famines for instance, reveals how bad decisions or lack of action or ignoring clear warnings often led to catastrophe. Our present climate crisis seems to meet the criteria.

Sowing to the breeze and reaping a tornado applies on a personal level as well. Which means I need to examine my life and ask—where might I be sowing in a frivolous or harmful nature? Maybe it’s time to finally stop smoking?

Or, on a positive spin, am I sowing among the better things in life? Deeper relationships with others? Stronger commitments to knowing and following the ways of Lord? Serious practices of reading and understanding and applying God’s Word?

Sowing in the soil of God and His Word results in a plentiful yield–so much better than throwing my energy to the wind.

Hosea 8 in week thirty-two of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Nikolas Noonan

Perhaps the strangest marriage in the Bible involved Hosea and Gomer.

Hosea, told by the Lord to marry a promiscuous woman, asked around and found Gomer, who fit the necessary criteria. They married, produced children, and gave them odd names, including a daughter named Lo-Ruhamah (which means not loved), and their son Lo-Ammi (not my people). Hopefully, the kids discovered therapy in adulthood.

Later, Gomer left Hosea for another man. He found her and swapped her back for 15 shekels of silver ($140 today) and 430 pounds of barley ($3,000 in today’s organic barley prices, assuming Hosea trafficked in organic barley).

This absurd marriage demonstrated the relationship between the Lord and the people of Judah and Israel. In the midst of their promiscuity with other gods, the Lord stayed faithful. Despite wandering hearts, reconciliation beckoned.

As Hosea returned for Gomer, the Lord returned for his people. In a vision for the future, Hosea purchased Gomer back for himself, just as the Lord purchased each one of us for himself through Jesus Christ.

The life of an Old Testament prophet? No thank you. But the language of promise spoken by such a prophet? Yes, please (note the Lord’s message of hope for Israel, including those kids with unfortunate names):

I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people,’ and they will say, ‘You are my God.’

Hosea 1-3 in week thirty-two of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Edwin Andrade