The Value of Children

Importance of Children in the Kingdom of God

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.

It can be easy to view Children as a progression in our life path: get the career, the house--oh yah & the next step is children. Often as something WE, as adults ACQUIRE on our lifetime to do list.

OR we see them as burdens, work, that exist to suck the life right out of us! This quote is so accurate---viewing children only as what they are going to be someday: adults, always looking to the next stage of development or counting our time until we are DONE having KIDS around...

You know--children are for *those* people--I don’t have any so outta site, outta mind! What does it matter what the Bible says about children if I don’t have any?

The BIBLE gives us a different view of children--they have a specific role in the kingdom.

PSALM 8:2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

CHILDREN & INFANTS are given a special role of power from God--their PRAISE silences our enemies!  NOT just CONSUMERS but as allies--they can sing praises to God & help us in our spiritual battles. God has ORDAINED them w/ a specific & valuable role for HIS kingdom.

EPH 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right, Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise--that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

CHILDREN are given the FIRST promise! Of all the commands--the one to children is given the FIRST promise!!!!

MATT 18: 1-6 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"   He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.    

God gives a  harsh warning to anyone who DARES to hurt a child. Knowing that children are vulnerable--he  makes this statement.  He also goes on to make a provision for the most vulnerable children: orphans:

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

By looking out for children--again, it doesn’t just help them BUT keeps US from being polluted by the world!!

God views children as HIGHLY valuable--there are many other verses about children being a REWARD, how a man is blessed if he has MANY of them.     Children are valuable IN & OF themselves simply for being CHILDREN.

These words are NOT just spoken to parents--they are statements made in general. We are to value children in over all.   

On that note: since it IS Mother’s Day I do want to end w/ this quote by Abraham Lincoln: I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.  

Mothers--> keep on keeping on & IMO the best thing you can do for your child is to raise them on your KNEES---> IOW praying over them w/o ceasing. Don’t forget that God chose YOU to be your child’s MOTHER!