This is where they will know him and the one who has sent him. There is a difference in the status of children in Jesus' time and in our own. Our culture is, despite increasing reports of the abuse of children, considerably more child centered than other cultures. At the time of this passage, however, in contrast to adults, and particularly to the elders of a village, the child was the very symbol of dependence and helplessness. That is the power of what Jesus does.
Nothing is to be gained, there is no mileage in paying attention to a child.
By all accounts though, Jesus did precisely that. Chuck Swindoll tells about going into a gift shop one Christmas. The place was elegant. Lovely pieces of crystal, exquisite glass statuettes, and a wide assortment of imported china were beautifully displayed on freshly dusted glass shelves. It was one of those impeccable shops where you feel like holding your breath as you glide from aisle to aisle.