People were bringing young children for Jesus to touch and bless them. His disciples felt that Jesus was being bothered by these mothers and tried to drive them away. They still had to learn the lesson that authority serves rather than controls and manipulates. It is a lesson that all those in authority need also to remember. The children are to be allowed to come to Him. 'Children' can be taken here in a wider sense to include all those who approach Jesus with a completely open, unprejudiced mind. And especially those who have a low status in our society but whose heart is in the right place. Such people are often more ready to hear the message of the Kingdom and to take an active part in it. As people who are responsible for children, either as parents or teachers or care-givers, we need to be aware of how by word or action we can block our children from being exposed to Jesus message of Truth and Love. But we can also be a block to other people who can be influenced and turned away from the Way of Christ by our unchristian way of behaving.