I recently received a special honor. It came from a 3-year old child, and it came in a most unexpected form: I have a Lego "person" named after me!

Nathaniel -- the 3 year-old grandson of Doug Anderson who is the Executive Director of the Bishop Rueben Job Center for Leadership Development at Dakota Wesleyan University -- has decided that the name of one of his Lego figures is "Mike Coyner." It happened a few months ago when he was playing with his Lego set, when totally umprompted and unexpectedly he picked up one of his Lego figures and announced, "This is Mike Coyner."

I recently had the chance to visit Doug and his grandson, and right on cue Nathaniel brought out his Lego set and showed me "Mike Coyner." The figure doesn't really look like me -- in fact it has very blond hair -- but for some reason known only in a child's world, that figure now shares my name. What an honor!

The whole episode reminds me that our best "honors" are those bestowed upon us by children. When our children (or grandchildren) share their love for us, isn't that really the best honor any of us could want? Is there anything better than feeling the hug of a little child's arms around our necks? Is there anything which can "melt" us more than the impish smile of a little one? Don't all of us adults suddenly act like slobbering fools when we have the chance to "baby-talk" with an infant? Wouldn't any of us parents do just about anything to help and support our children?

Being honored with the love of a child is perhaps our best honor.

Maybe that is why Jesus warned us so sternly not to do anything which would harm one of his "little ones." And maybe that is why Jesus told us that we must become "like children" in order to enter into the kingdom of God.

I am led to ask us these sobering questions:

• Are the children honoring our United Methodist churches?
  
• Are the children in our communities welcomed into our congregations?
  
• Do the children of our communities know that we are here for them?
  
• Do the children of our communities feel more safe and more loved because we United Methodists are nearby?
  
• Do we provide safe nurseries and classrooms for our children?
  
• Do we offer children's programs for those of our own congregation and also for the children who are not yet a part of our congregation?
  
• Do we advocate on behalf of children in our towns, our states, our nation?

I hope so. Because if the children are "honoring" us as United Methodists, that is the best honor that we can receive.

And so I pray ...

O Lord, bless the children, all the children of the world. As that song says, "Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in your sight." We know that you love all the little children of the world. So, Lord, bless the children and help all of us to love the little children, too. Amen.