Lord, you have shown us favor by giving us children who are a gift and a responsibility. Whether they are birthed, adopted, assigned to us, live in the neighborhood, or sit in the classroom, they are a gift to be acknowledged, nurtured, taught, and inspired by us as adults. Psalm 127:3: “…children are a reward from the Lord.”
Lord, help us as adults to remember that children are people. Forgive us for often forgetting that they have every right to be given respect, consideration, and thoughtfulness. Help us to cease commanding or demanding of them continually; enable us to pause, listen, note their tones, observe their body English, and hear their topic of the moment. Help us to understand that our response can give them self-confidence and confirm that they are valued. Children need such attention from adults. Ephesians 6:4: [Parents/Adults], do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. RSV
Lord, many times, we adults seek to be the greatest in our families, among our peers and even above strangers. Sometimes we drill into our children that they are better than other persons or peoples. Such teaching stifles our growth and that of our children mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. Every person is worthy of our attention and respect. Lord, help us as adults to humble ourselves that we may experience the fulness of life. Help us to honor all persons for each is your creation, Lord. Matthew 18:3: And He said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” RSV
Lord, you have created each child as a unique person, even those in the same family. Their challenges are different, but this does not make one child of less importance than another. Creator of all, enable us adults to see your value in each child. When some require more of time than others, let us not demean them, but labor with them that they may realize their potential. Help us, Lord, to show concern for each child and to go the extra mile without any sense of favoritism or degradation. Matthew 18:10a: Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones.” RSV
Lord, the last eighteen months make our work with children of greater importance than any time in the past few decades. Children are a divine gift entrusted to us. Let us remember parents and extended family, educators and other school personnel, folk in the community whom you sent to enrich our childhood. Some of them were such giants of transformation in our lives that we remember their names decades later. Anoint us now, Holy Spirit, for such effort that we may labor to enable our children to be all that you have created them to be. Amen.
Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray. Proverbs 22:6, RSV
Reflections
How to really Love a Child
Be there. Say yes as often as possible. let them Bang on pots and pans. If they’re unlovable, love yourself. realize How important it is to Be A Child. Go to A Movie theatre in your PAJAMAS. read Books out loud with Joy. invent pleasures together. remember HOW really SMAll they Are. Giggle A lot. Surprise them. Say no when necessary. Teach Feelings. HeaL your own inner CHiLD. learn About parenting. HUG trees together. Make loving SAFe. Bake A Cake and eat it with no Hands. Plan to Build A rocketship. imagine yourself MAGiC. Make lots of FoRts with Blankets. let your angel Fly. reveal your own Dreams. search out the positive. Keep the Gleam in your eye. MAiL letters to GoD. encourage silly. plant licorice in your GArDen. open up. Stop yelling. express your love. A lot. SpeAk kindly. paint their tennis shoes. HanDle with CARinG.
(The above message is type in upper-and lower-case letters as they are on the card by Sark.) Resource: Sark. How to Really Love a Child. Novato, California: Portal Publications Ltd., 1998
Dorothy Watson Tatem, D. Min., ACC
Senior Associates
Next Step Associates, LLC
Cassandra W. Jones, Ed.D.
CEO & President