John 18:38 Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”
One of the more intimidating aspects of parenting is that children believe what we tell them. In this way, they are distinctly different from adults, who expect to work through layers to find the truth—if there is even a truth to find. We accept that our political leaders will lie to us as a matter of course and chuckle affectionately at children for believing commercials that tout their toothpaste as best.
Jesus wants the little children to come to him, and I can see why. He is trying to tell the truth. The adults keep asking him to say what they want to hear, trying to trip him into mistakes, expecting an agenda. When Pilate asks Jesus, “What is truth?”, Pilate epitomizes the attitude that many adults have about the notion of truth and the people who try to tell it. It must have been restful for Jesus to talk to children and have them just listen and believe.
