REXBURG — Today’s BYU-Idaho devotional speaker, David Allen, a faculty member in the Early Education and Special Education Department at BYU-Idaho, spoke about the need to love little children as Jesus Christ loves them.
As he began his talk titled, “Receive One Such Little Child in My Name,” Allen quoted the Savior when He taught that when an individual receives a little child in His name, they receive Christ. This scripture became the basis for Allen’s talk.
In an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Allen said as he was thinking about what to speak on, the topic became clear.
“It's pretty clear right away the topic, because for the last 22 years, I've been teaching and working with children,” Allen said. “I look at all these new little families starting here at BYU-Idaho, and, boy, do they need to hear how important children are in their lives.”
In his devotional, Allen shared that it is estimated that adults laugh 17 times a day while children laugh some 300 times a day.
While this statistic is true, Allen taught that when we often think of little children, we often think of tantrums and pouting faces, but becoming as a little child does not include those poor behaviors. However, we can also learn from children in these not-so-good moments.
“Can we receive children in a more-godly way in those bad moments?” Allen said. “Can we become as little children, humble and willing to learn even on our bad days?”
In that same interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Allen shared how his experience with children daily has influenced the way that he views his relationship with Heavenly Father.
“I definitely realize that sometimes we all and myself, we do act like children,” Allen said. “Sometimes we act and respond and develop and we do struggle in this life. I think that's where faith comes in. We finally have to just realize in ourselves that we're children of God. He knows what's best for us and just start to just fully rely on Him.”
In all the talk of loving families, Allen also acknowledged there are those at BYU-Idaho who may not have had the best family life growing up. He taught that despite this, these individuals can build heavenly homes.
“No matter what experience you have had or the lack of control of the past, we can strive to build a family that is more like our Heavenly Parents,” Allen said. “God our Father parents us perfectly, but we as developing spirits often parent our children imperfectly—because we are learning as we go.”
Above all, no matter what life holds and what happens with children, Allen says Christlike love is the answer. That is what it means to receive children in Christ’s name.
“Think about what the prophet said lately, about when you're in a stressful situation, remember Jesus Christ,” Allen said. “That's what we need to do with our children.”