“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.” Matt. 18:10

Orphan Trains transported nearly 200,000 destitute children, mostly from Boston and New York, to families across America between 1854 and 1929. They were mostly immigrant children who had been orphaned, abandoned or neglected by their families. When they arrived at a train stop, they were hustled off the train and lined up for inspection by waiting adults. Poked and prodded, some would be selected based upon what these adults felt would bring the best value to their farm or business. Those not chosen would pile back on the train and head for the next stop. While many children found good homes and families, many other were exploited, abused, and treated as indentured servants or worse.

Around the world children are still exploited and abused today, often while adults who know better look the other way. As horrible as child abuse is in the supposedly civilized world, it isn’t the only way adults look down on children.

Sometimes children are simply ignored or scolded by adults who find them annoying at best. Some churches try to keep children out of the adult worship services for fear they may interrupt or disrupt our adult time. I wonder if our Lord would consider that a form of looking down on his little ones?

It’s not hard to get angry over physically abusive acts towards children and to demand justice, but there are other, more subtle ways we have of looking down our noses at children. When we refuse to help in the church nursery or volunteer to teach in the children’s department, does that fall under the warning of Jesus to not look down on one of these little ones? Wouldn’t it be exciting to see what God would do through older adults who take up strategic roles as teachers and helpers in our church children’s ministries, instead of turning up our noses and refusing to get involved?

Here are three easy things anyone can do to keep our view of children in proper focus:

1. Pray for specific children in your church. Ask a children’s leader to give you the first names of children in their class so you can pray for them by name.
2. Volunteer for one of the children’s programs in your church. These children desperately need older role models and mentors in their lives.
3. Adopt a family in your church and ask their permission to serve as spiritual grandparents for the family. Send birthday and Christmas cards to the children. Invite the family to your house for dinner after church once a quarter.

Treating children as a precious treasure placed in our care by the heavenly Father is not just the responsibility of parents and grandparents. It is also the responsibility of every adult towards every child in our neighborhoods and churches. Our Savior’s heart resonates with concern and compassion for children. Should ours do any less?

GRANDPAUSE:   “We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.”  ~Stacia Tauscher