Suffer Not the Little Children

By: Richard III

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Dimensions: 6in x 8in

Year: 2021

Status: Private Collection / Available

Suffer Not the Little Children : Fearless

The foundation of SNTLC, transitioning from its original title Fearless, lies in a chance discovery—a $7 pour painting found at a Goodwill, its original creator unknown and its history discarded. This work was not merely covered but intentionally repurposed to give it a life that supersedes its original intent. By integrating the existing celestial swirls and cellular patterns into a new narrative, the work acts as a collaborative effort across time, rescuing a forgotten expression and elevating it into a profound spiritual landscape. This act of repurposing mirrors the theme of the painting itself: taking what was abandoned and infusing it with a higher, more formidable purpose.

The background, whose amber and deep cerulean cells suggest the ethereal expanse of the "Second Heaven," provides a backdrop of infinite scale. Against this cosmic sky, a hand-painted silhouette of children marches in a determined procession across a solid black horizon. While the modern world often views children through the lens of trauma and abandonment, this composition strips away that earthly fragility. It draws directly from the mandate in Matthew 19:14: "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." By portraying them as a disciplined coalition of assailants, the piece reflects the "humorous strength" of a child's mind—knowing they are not alone, not unarmed, and certainly not defenseless.

The visual narrative reaches its climax as a demonic figure is seen cowering and retreating. This inversion of power serves as a visual manifestation of Psalm 8:2: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." It reminds the viewer that in the spirit realm, the innocent possess an offensive momentum that the darkness cannot withstand. By breathing new life into a "found" work, the piece reinforces the idea that nothing is beyond redemption, and that the "little ones" carry a courageous testimony that can silence the very shadows that once sought to burden them.