We saw in the previous issue that children are given to us by God as a heritage or gift. We do not choose a gift; it is the giver who decides what gift is to be given. All that we need to do is to accept the gift thankfully and preserve it.
Sometimes, it pleases God to give us children who are not fully grown, with down- syndrome, deaf, blind, or dumb. Exod.4:11 states that God is the One who makes them deaf, mute, or blind. Very often, it is humanly difficult to accept it; but remember God can bless them, use them for His glory and fulfill His great purposes through them. (Fanny Crosby who became blind in her infancy is an example to this great truth. We know that God used her to write thousands of hymns to bless millions around the globe for generations). Such children also are to be accepted thankfully. When God gives us such children, He will also give us the grace to take care of them. Sometimes, the conception and birth of a child may be seen as an accident by the parents. (If a child comes to know that he is an 'unwanted' child, that will affect him psychologically and he will always feel unaccepted and rejected.) No child is 'unwanted' by God. No one is born into this world by accident. Each child is a unique creation of God, specially designed by the creator. God has a purpose for each child to whom He gives life. See what the Scripture has to say about this. “For You formed my inward parts You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:13-16)
In the light of these truths, who can estimate the worth of a child? We have to see our children as very precious and important in the sight of the Creator. In fact, God's program for this world is carried out through children. The words of our creator to mankind in Gen.1:28 is to be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it, reveals this.
It will be in place to say few words about the biblical view of abortion here. We are living in days when millions of unborn babies are killed every year through abortion, mainly for convenience’s sake. The modern term for the unborn baby is 'foetus', but the Bible never uses that word even once. In Job 3:16 Job referred to unborn children as INFANTS, not foetuses or masses of tissue! The passage quoted above from Psalm 139 speaks of God's active role in the creation and formation of a babe in the womb. Jer.1:5 says that God knew Jeremiah even before he was formed in the womb; sanctified him and ordained him as a prophet to the nations, even before he was born. In Gal.1:15, Paul says the same thing about himself. “God separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace”. God declares that life begins at conception, and the unborn child is a human being. The unborn baby in the womb is a full person with definite character traits.
Science also declares that an unborn child is just as much an independent human being as any other. The original human cell consisting of 46 chromosomes, 23 from each parent does not receive any new cells from the mother at any point during pregnancy. It is the original cell itself that divides and multiplies to provide development and growth for the child. (Of course, the mother does provide nourishment to the unborn child, as she provides to the newborn also). The child responds to touch sensations by the sixth or seventh week. The Bible says that the unborn child is capable of responding to God and parents as we understand from Luke 1:41, 44.
It is to be noticed that the same penalty is prescribed in Exod.21:22-25—death—for someone who causes the death of a baby in the womb as for someone who commits murder. This is because God sees a baby in the womb to be as human as a full- grown adult. Therefore, abortion amounts to murder in the sight of God. This is not a matter of choice for the parents. It is a matter of the life or death of a human being made in God's image.
Parents should realize the worth of every child and respect their personality. They are not robots, but human beings with mind, feelings, and emotions. They should be treated with dignity. We should never refer to them as animals or call them bad names. No derogatory remarks that crush their personality should ever be used. Parents should instill in them a sense of belonging and a sense of security. They should be loved just as they are. We should let them know that they are precious to us. They should feel that we care for them intensely. Love for them should be shown in physical touch, kind words and the time spent with them. We should not deprive them of these things in our pursuit of money to provide them with material things. We need to help our children to grow into the persons God has meant them to be.
We should not put a distinction between our children. All of them should be loved and accepted equally. There should be no place for favoritism or partiality in the family. They should be accepted with whatever intelligence level, color or appearance God has given them. Acceptance and love should not be based on performance.
All parents (specially living in the Indian context) should realize that daughters are as precious and important in the sight of God as sons. God has great plans for our daughters too. The Indian concept of preferring sons to daughters comes from an unbiblical culture. May the Creator give us the wisdom and the grace to see each child - whether son or daughter- as a precious gift from God and bring them up in a manner pleasing to Him.
Sometimes, it pleases God to give us children who are not fully grown, with down- syndrome, deaf, blind, or dumb. Exod.4:11 states that God is the One who makes them deaf, mute, or blind. Very often, it is humanly difficult to accept it; but remember God can bless them, use them for His glory and fulfill His great purposes through them. (Fanny Crosby who became blind in her infancy is an example to this great truth. We know that God used her to write thousands of hymns to bless millions around the globe for generations). Such children also are to be accepted thankfully. When God gives us such children, He will also give us the grace to take care of them. Sometimes, the conception and birth of a child may be seen as an accident by the parents. (If a child comes to know that he is an 'unwanted' child, that will affect him psychologically and he will always feel unaccepted and rejected.) No child is 'unwanted' by God. No one is born into this world by accident. Each child is a unique creation of God, specially designed by the creator. God has a purpose for each child to whom He gives life. See what the Scripture has to say about this. “For You formed my inward parts You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:13-16)
In the light of these truths, who can estimate the worth of a child? We have to see our children as very precious and important in the sight of the Creator. In fact, God's program for this world is carried out through children. The words of our creator to mankind in Gen.1:28 is to be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it, reveals this.
It will be in place to say few words about the biblical view of abortion here. We are living in days when millions of unborn babies are killed every year through abortion, mainly for convenience’s sake. The modern term for the unborn baby is 'foetus', but the Bible never uses that word even once. In Job 3:16 Job referred to unborn children as INFANTS, not foetuses or masses of tissue! The passage quoted above from Psalm 139 speaks of God's active role in the creation and formation of a babe in the womb. Jer.1:5 says that God knew Jeremiah even before he was formed in the womb; sanctified him and ordained him as a prophet to the nations, even before he was born. In Gal.1:15, Paul says the same thing about himself. “God separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace”. God declares that life begins at conception, and the unborn child is a human being. The unborn baby in the womb is a full person with definite character traits.
Science also declares that an unborn child is just as much an independent human being as any other. The original human cell consisting of 46 chromosomes, 23 from each parent does not receive any new cells from the mother at any point during pregnancy. It is the original cell itself that divides and multiplies to provide development and growth for the child. (Of course, the mother does provide nourishment to the unborn child, as she provides to the newborn also). The child responds to touch sensations by the sixth or seventh week. The Bible says that the unborn child is capable of responding to God and parents as we understand from Luke 1:41, 44.
It is to be noticed that the same penalty is prescribed in Exod.21:22-25—death—for someone who causes the death of a baby in the womb as for someone who commits murder. This is because God sees a baby in the womb to be as human as a full- grown adult. Therefore, abortion amounts to murder in the sight of God. This is not a matter of choice for the parents. It is a matter of the life or death of a human being made in God's image.
Parents should realize the worth of every child and respect their personality. They are not robots, but human beings with mind, feelings, and emotions. They should be treated with dignity. We should never refer to them as animals or call them bad names. No derogatory remarks that crush their personality should ever be used. Parents should instill in them a sense of belonging and a sense of security. They should be loved just as they are. We should let them know that they are precious to us. They should feel that we care for them intensely. Love for them should be shown in physical touch, kind words and the time spent with them. We should not deprive them of these things in our pursuit of money to provide them with material things. We need to help our children to grow into the persons God has meant them to be.
We should not put a distinction between our children. All of them should be loved and accepted equally. There should be no place for favoritism or partiality in the family. They should be accepted with whatever intelligence level, color or appearance God has given them. Acceptance and love should not be based on performance.
All parents (specially living in the Indian context) should realize that daughters are as precious and important in the sight of God as sons. God has great plans for our daughters too. The Indian concept of preferring sons to daughters comes from an unbiblical culture. May the Creator give us the wisdom and the grace to see each child - whether son or daughter- as a precious gift from God and bring them up in a manner pleasing to Him.
– John Kurian
