Back in 2010, I was asked to preach in English with translation to a coastal Colombian, South American church. Following the church service , my little photographer friend asked to take a foto of myself and a leader of a nearby congregation. The little guy, with my permission, had been shadowing me for several days whenever his family and I would be in the same place.  (This was back in those days before smartphones and “selfies”).

When he saw a good “photo-op” I would feel his little hand tapping my pocket just below my compact digital camera hanging on my belt. “Foto, foto, puedo tomar una foto?”  (Photo, photo, can I take a photo?)

However the somewhat arrogant church leader wasn’t having it.   “¡No, No, No, No!” said he, sternly rebuking the little guy, telling him to get away. A misunderstanding to be sure, but very uncomfortable.  Was I to coldly dismiss the little fellow with whom I had earlier bonded and who had provided me with some top-quality fotos?  

The situation became more awkward because my little friend had just heard me preach about how Jesucristo had rebuked his disciples for trying to drive the children away.

I was not there to violate culture. Nonetheless, I put myself between the two and responded clearly in my limited Spanish, “¡Sí, Sí, Sí, Sí!”, to which he again insisted  “¡No, No, No, No!”. Finally I walked away with mi amiguito (my little friend) at my side. I may have violated a culture that would rebuke a child for asking to be useful, but I chose to respond to a higher call.

For Jesus the manner in which children were treated was very important to a proper understanding of the Kingdom of God.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. ⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  Matthew 18 NIV

Then later…

¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Matthew 19 New International Version 

Jesus appears to refer to his kingdom of child-like followers when he spoke of the little ones who had believed in him, and invokes the language of judgement against those who would oppress them, undoubtedly a warning to the Pharisaic teachers.

However unlike so many “fire-and-brimstone” preachers of the modern era, Jesus’ warnings were against those who would mistreat the vulnerable —  children and his child-like followers —  as demonstrated by his elevation (literally and spiritually) of the little child.

4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me…

⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

For three years, Jesus confronted a hypocritical religious system which, in the name of God, was oppressing children and their parents.  So he called forth a child and declared that if you welcome one such child in my name, you are welcoming me.

The daily depictions of refugee children taken from their parents, and the videos of traumatised young Hispanics (often USAmerican citizens) being treated as disposable collateral damage of ICE raids against parents who have risked all for them is the ultimate example of “otherizing”.

For me, these beautiful brown children are not others! These are members of my family.  These have names, family histories, and personal life stories. Some I have met, most I will not.

And with whatever standing I might have as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I condemn this so called “immigration deterrent effort” as the reign of terror that it is, as well as the toxic language that emboldened a white supremacist to attack a people that Jesus has taught me to love.

These are not rapists.  These are not drug dealers. These are not bad people.  These are not invaders.

These are people with simple hopes and dreams, and a faith in this country that we do not deserve.

And above all, these are my brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of God, and the amiguitos (little friends) of Jesus Christ.