The Value Of Children
Who wants children anyways? They’re messy, sloppy, loud, they waste a lot of money and time, and they only think about themselves. If there were fewer babies in the world, the world would be a better place. Less stress on Earth, no more overpopulation, less resources being wasted. Who in the world would want to have more children?
I do. I love babies. I love children. I love
life and I love the Giver of Life, Jesus. I may not be able to go on extravagant vacations or leisurely shop at expensive stores, but I do not feel like I am missing out on much. In fact, I feel like I have learned and gained so much in my life by being a mother. I have felt and given so much love in my 28 years by giving birth to 5 precious children. The Lord has used those children to make me grow closer to Him, to mold my selfishness, and to see things through the eyes of the most innocent of creations.
I held each of my babies in my arms after they were born and my heart burst
with such indescribable joy. I look at life in such a different
perspective now that I am a mother. My focus is on those children
that were gifted to me. I want them to value life in all of its stages.
When my children are older I want them to be able to look at a newborn babe and
feel the same complete awe and amazement as I do. I want them to be able
to see a child in need and feel the same compassion for that child as I
do. I want them to be able to hear a baby’s cries and feel the same
desire to protect as I do. I want my daughters to nurse their children in their arms and feel the same fullness and warmth that I felt when I nursed them. I want my sons to feel the same honor and joy in coming home to children shouting with excitement, "Daddy!" that my own husband feels when he returns from work. I don’t want them to think only about 'self', but see life for all that it was meant to be. The only way that they will learn these things is if I pass down my willingness to sacrifice my own desires for the
sake of another. Life should be about sacrifice and serving others. It is about giving our
complete hearts for another. Jesus Himself came to serve, not to be served. Shame on us if we choose to take on a
negative attitude toward what He has commanded us to love! Children are
not 2nd class citizens. They are to be loved, adored,
cherished and nurtured. They are to be taught that they mean something
because their value is great in the eyes of the Lord! Jesus did not want
children to be kept back from him. He rebuked the people who tried to
get children out of His way. He said to let the children come to Him.
Many people in today's society take on an attitude of "Children should be seen and not heard". Even worse than that is the attitude of "Children shouldn't be seen or heard." What a sad, lonely life these people will have when they get to their old age and realize that they missed out on so much happiness and joy by forsaking little children. Will it be worth it in the end when they can reminisce of their wordly travels and fancy dinners? Wouldn't it be so much more fulfilling to be able to reminisce with a full house rather than an empty heart?
When I pass away, I hope I can look down from Heaven and hear the chitter-chatter of the little voices of my grandchildren echoing through the hallway. I want to see the dirty handprints on the wall from my great-grandbabies. I want to see the little one’s being played with and tickled. I want to hear the family members say, "No, I’m not too busy for you. Come, sit on my lap." I want to look down from Heaven and have the assurance that I made a difference, to know that I did not hinder Jesus’ most beloved creations, but that I accepted each and every child from Him as a complete gift and not as a burden.
Should I care if people whisper behind my back that I am insane for loving children? What will people think when they see that I have a large family and am actually HAPPY with many children? Will they think I am crazy? So be it if they do. Let them think I am nuts for welcoming each and every child in Jesus's name. What will my legacy be when I pass away? Do I want people to remember my stubbornness and attitude of rejection or do I want people to remember my servant's heart? Do I want to die with a yearning in my heart for a time that has already passed... a time that cannot ever be brought back? Will I yearn for the days of my youth when I could have made a difference in my family and wish I could have changed my attitude towards my children? I pray that I will not look back with remorse or sorrow. Yes, I admit, it is true: If you pop into my house at any given moment, you may not always find a shiny kitchen sink. You may not always find freshly dusted furniture. You may have to move the children's books off the couch to find a place to sit or you may find toys hidden under the couch pillows. These things that bring frowns to some people's faces would probably bring a large smile to Jesus's face. May the Lord help us to imitate His loving, affectionate heart for our children's sakes. When we are on our death beds looking back over our lives, may we truly know without a shadow of doubt that we did our best for the children that the Lord has given to us! "For such is the Kingdom of Heaven."