As Christians, we turn to the\nBible as our guide for living. It has much to say to us about spiritual things,\nbut also about what\u2019s practical. So what does the Bible say about children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Children are part of God\u2019s\ncreative plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God\nblessed them and said to them, \u2018And God blessed them. And God said to them, \u201cBe\nfruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it\u2019\u2026 – Genesis 1:28<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n After creating Adam and Eve,\nGod commanded that they be fruitful, or have children. The original design\nincluded families with children. Kids weren\u2019t an afterthought. Everything about\ncreation was pronounced good, including his design for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Children are gifts from\nGod to families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behold,\nchildren are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. – Psalm\n127:3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The word \u201cheritage<\/strong>\u201d\ncomes from the root meaning \u201cto get or inherit.\u201d It is an honor and\nresponsibility to be entrusted with a little one from God. We stand beside him\nto shepherd their growth and development, to advocate for them, and provide for\ntheir needs while they\u2019re in our care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Children need nurture and\nguidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Train\nup a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from\nit. -Proverbs 22:6<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When planting vines and some\nbushes, gardeners will attach them to a framework, like a pole or trellis, to\nkeep them from spreading out of control. Kids need solid structure to keep\ntheir physical, emotional, social, and spiritual growth on track too. This\nmeans we are present in their lives, supporting their growth and development,\nand leading by our godly example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Children need discipline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Discipline\nyour son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart. – Proverbs\n29:17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no question,\ndisciplining kids is hard work. It takes the fruit of the Spirit \u2014 love, joy,\npeace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and\nself-control spoken of in Galatians 5:22-23<\/strong>. Parents who really love their\nkids will discipline them, as God does with us (Hebrews 12:7<\/strong>). Not harshly, but\ngently with the goal of leading them in the ways of the Lord. Done this way,\nthey\u2019ll become adults that fulfill all the Creator intends for them to become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Orphans, displaced and\nrefugee children, and children living in poverty need special care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do\nnot oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor\u2026 – Zechariah\n7:10<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Children are vulnerable even\nin good circumstances, but when there\u2019s poverty or violence, kids can suffer\nreal damage. The Bible singles out orphans for us to help. Those without\nfathers are close behind orphans. And children living as refugees (strangers)\nor displaced by conflict or living in extreme poverty (the poor) are also\nvulnerable. There is no social or financial safety net for them \u2014 no one to\nprovide for their nurture or needs. God asks people who worship him to help\ntake care of kids in such vulnerable places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Children need protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026\nMeanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection\nfrom the inhabitants in the land. – Numbers 32:17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We live in a world corrupted\nby evil. Child labor, physical abuse, child exploitation, and child marriage\nare only some of the challenges kids today may encounter, not to mention things\nlike drug and alcohol addiction, bullying, or gang involvement. God is our\ndeliverer from trouble and enemies, and we should protect kids from people who\nseek their harm as an extension of our love for him. Some of us are even called\nfurther by God to act as advocates or to become professionals in\nchild-protection programs and organizations. But whether a professional or not,\nwe can all be aware and help protect the kids in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Children are blessed by\nGod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And\nhe took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. – Mark\n10:16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In blessing the children\nwhile here on earth as God incarnate, Jesus shows his heart toward little ones.\nIn v. 13<\/strong>\nof this passage, the disciples rebuked the people for bringing their kids to\nJesus, probably because he was talking with self-important religious leaders.\nHis response was anger at his followers\u2019 ignorance and pettiness. Their actions\nwere unkind and unworthy of disciples. Children aren\u2019t too unimportant to have\nGod\u2019s undivided attention. He always desires to bless them in every way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ten Incredible Children of the\nBible<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n David (1 Samuel 17:48-51<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the whole Israelite army was\ntoo afraid to attack the Philistines, this young tyke went into battle,\narmourless, and brought Goliath down with a single sling-shot. Some scholars\nbelieve he was aged between 10 and 15! Just another day in the life of a guy\nwho killed bears and lions (v. 35<\/strong>) in his spare time I guess?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Little maid of Israel (2 Kings 5<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Living in a foreign land, this\nyoung slave girl had amazing faith and love for others. Learning that her\nmaster Naaman\u00ad\u2014the king\u2019s army commander\u00ad\u2014had leprosy, she bravely told her\nmaster\u2019s wife that the prophet Elisha could cure him. And he did!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniel (Daniel 1:17<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scholars believe Daniel and his friends\nmay have only been eight years old when they stood up to the king and refused\nto eat the palace food. Most eight-year-olds refuse to eat broccoli, let alone\nstand up to a king!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boy with loaves and fishes (John 6<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some commentators suggest that the\nlittle boy in this story intended to sell his food to the crowd\u2014otherwise, why\nwould he pack so much? And yet, despite Andrew\u2019s emphasis about how \u201csmall<\/strong>\u201d\nhis offering was, he willingly gave all he had without shame or hesitation. And\nthrough his generosity, thousands of people were fed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mary (Luke 1:26-36<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mary was only a teenager, perhaps\nas young as 12, when the angel Gabriel told her she would have a baby. As a\nnewly-engaged young woman, surrendering to God\u2019s plan was a courageous\ndecision. What would Joseph say? Would she have to raise the child alone? In\nthat moment, she was willing to sacrifice everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miriam (Exodus 2:7<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moses\u2019 older sister Miriam\napproached Egypt\u2019s royalty unapologetically and they listened to her. Thanks to\nher bravery, their mother was able to nurse Moses during his early years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Josiah (2 Kings 22:3<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Josiah was only eight years old\nwhen he became king of Judah. Eight! Succeeding his father Amon, who did evil\nin the sight of God, Josiah set to tear down the idols that had ensnared the\npeople of Judah for more than 70 years. It makes us wonder, who raised him\nright?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus (Luke 2:41-47<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n After being lost for a whole day,\nJesus was found teaching the elders in the temple. At just 12 years old, the\nBible says that everyone was amazed at His understanding and the way He\nanswered their questions. It seems wisdom isn\u2019t a factor of age after all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Timothy (1 Timothy 4:12<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n During Paul\u2019s second missionary\njourney, Timothy became his companion and partner along with Silas. We know\nthat he was young because Paul tells him not to \u201clet anyone look down on you because you are\nyoung<\/strong>\u201d. Even when imprisoned, Timothy remained true to his pastoral\ncalling and spread the gospel throughout the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Samuel (1 Samuel 3<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dedicated to the temple when he\nwas just a baby, Samuel was destined to lead an extraordinary life. When he was\na young boy, God spoke to him audibly for the first time. As he grew, his\nprophetic gift increased\u2014God let \u201cnone of Samuel\u2019s words fall to the ground<\/strong>\u201d (v. 19<\/strong>).\nSignificantly, it was Samuel who chose David to be king of Israel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As Christians, we turn to the Bible as our guide for living. It has much to say to us about spiritual things, but also about what\u2019s practical. So what does the Bible say about children? 1. Children are part of God\u2019s creative plan. God blessed them and said to them, \u2018And God blessed them. And […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[532,526],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n