Mark 10:14: "But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased and said to them, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.'"
This passage of the Bible shows his love for children and their nature. When the disciples tried to restrict the children from approaching Jesus, he felt greatly displeased, not really because they were children or because he was compassionate, but because of a nature children carry that he didn't want to see defiled—that nature of theirs that believes in love.
Image gnerated using Gemini AI
He went further to tell them not to forbid children from reaching him because their nature makes them candidates of God's kingdom. This means whoever carries this nature that children hold becomes God's favorite, whom he had ordained not to be forbidden whenever he reaches to him. Children in this passage were represented as candidates of God's kingdom, where he rules, and the criteria to be in this candidate pool was to humble oneself by becoming like a child again. This also means adulthood comes with baggage of thoughts, actions, and inactions that defiles that assurance of a glorious future, and the only way to do that is to become like a child.
Children are known to love genuinely with no conditions attached. Once they love, they love sincerely with no need for reciprocation. Children do not hold grudges. Children may fight often, but they never seem to remember the offense a few minutes after. You'll see them together playing like nothing happened. Their lives are simple and do not dwell on the past. If one can love like children do, hold no grudges like little children, and have a gentle heart, then Jesus said theirs is the kingdom of heaven. To become a candidate of God's kingdom, one must become like a child.