UNIVERSAL CHILDREN'S DAY-Why are Children Valuable?

Today is Universal Children’s Day.  The world over, people are recognizing the value of our children.  In some places, however, children are not valued.  On last night’s news we learned of children being used as human shields.  This very day children are trafficked, sold into slavery, sold for sex, and used a delivery devices for bombs.

The value of children is tied up in the value we place on human beings.  Of course, all of us like to think we are important, but are we really objectively so, or is our value something we simply assign to ourselves, sort of like patting ourselves on the back?

For Christians like me, children are valuable because people are valuable.  People are valuable because God made us in His image and for His own pleasure.  “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  And God blessed them…” (Genesis 1:26-28a) .  “All things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16c).

Some religions see children as valuable, but only insofar as they fulfill the purpose of the group.  They may see them as valuable as instruments of jihad or war by which their religion is expanded, or as propagators of more of their particular brand of faith, thus changing the logistics of nations, influencing votes to bring them into power through democratic means. 

In the Christian faith, children are valuable simply because God made them special in His image,  and He finds pleasure in His creation.  I find this immensely liberating.  It frees me from trying to force my children or those whom I serve in ministry to become what I think they should be.  It frees them to become what God wants them to be.  It helps us all enjoy their unique value whether they are smart or mentally challenged, average kids or autistic, beautiful , strong and healthy or physically challenged.  It helps me appreciate those who are different from me as much as those to whom I relate more easily.

Sure, Christians too think about what their children might become and the great things they might do for the Kingdom of God.  Yet that is not what gives our children their essential value.  We understand that they are precious because God made them, and He made them human.

In the Christian faith, children are a blessing from God.  From the moment of conception until God takes that new life back into His hands in death, children bring blessing into our lives.

We at Every Child Ministries gladly join in celebrating our children today!