Children - Our Responsibility
We’ve all heard the line that “children are our future.” The late Whitney Houston sang “I believe the children are our future” - a line from her song “Greatest Love of All.” The late President John F. Kennedy once stated that “children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” The author of Psalm 127, Solomon, states in verse 3 that “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.” As Dr. Jeremiah states, children are a gift from God. A gift.
Last year, when Rachel Guy, a daughter of a friend of mine and a strong pro-life woman, mentioned to me her involvement in establishing a ministry (His Love and SONshine) in 2014 that has since helped provide education for “vulnerable children” in a Uganda community, I thought I needed to look into it. The plight of children throughout the world weighs heavy on my heart as I know it does with others. Children in both developed and third-world nations need food, education, proper medical care, and clothing. So many need love and care. From the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine book, A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty:
“In 2015…..more than 9.6 million U.S. children (13.0%) lived in families with annual incomes below a poverty line defined by the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM).”
The Global Coalition to End Child Poverty states that “333 million children [throughout the world] are living in extreme poverty (as of 2022).” World Vision reports “about 63% of people older than 15 who live in extreme poverty have no schooling or only some basic education..” As Christians, we should find these statistics appalling. I do.
King David said in Psalm 139:16 -
“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
In this verse, we read that God made each of us. That He had plans for us before we were born. I don’t believe such plans include “a lack of” or “none of” but “more of” in the area of sharing and caring. Plans that ensure a better education and life for the children of this world.
About two thousand years ago, Jesus and His disciples traveled to an area within the region of Judea. Wherever He went, large crowds gathered. And why not! He had healed many. He had taught about love to thousands. He had even fed thousands. People needed hope. And, in Jesus, hope not only came but salvation too. During His time in Judea, people brought their children to Him. These parents thought, "oh if He would just lay His hands on them, blessing them as He did” they would be content. The disciples intervened, seeking to prevent the children from getting close to Jesus. At this point, I try to imagine Jesus’ look on His face. Was He startled by the disciples actions? Was He taken aback for their rebuking the people? Probably, for He said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (See Matthew 19:13-15)
So what about today. What can we do about a society in which short-term focus is the daily meal? What about a world that struggles with or ignores the Golden Rule. You see, we were all children at one point. Seriously, have we forgotten? Jesus didn’t cherry pick who He would care for. He saw in little children the innocence of life. We need to live a life that comes as close as possible to mirroring that of Jesus. Children are a gift from God. A gift. The children in the Christian school (Gateway Nursery and Primary School) Rachel Guy helps to support through her ministry are some of these children. We’ve decided to help out. It is hoped that many more will extend financial sponsorship to even one of these children (please go to www.hisloveandsonshine.org; also see video below) or others in the world who are caught in this poverty cycle. I pray we all can end this cycle once and for all. And live like Jesus.