Message Magazine Online - Vol. 55, No. 02, Summer 2007

In This Issue

• Children of the World
  Angela Shuff
• Canadian Editorial
  David Smith
• The Original Six
  Ross Riggs
• Children A High Priority To God
  Jim Cook
• My Father's Refuge
  L.W. and P.K.
• Family At The House Of Laughter
  N.H.
• Your Final Gift For Children
  Spencer Jackson
• Seeing The Blind With Compassion
  Joan Smitz with Angela Shuff
• The Life Of An MK
  Danielle Devore
• CLIPS
  
• A Little Child Shall Lead Them
  Bill Commons
• Children's Corner
• Too Big To Hear God's Call?
  Michael G. Loftis

Canadian Editorial

David W. Smith, Executive Director, ABWE Canada

Most of Jesus’ childhood is a mystery to us. Our biblical glimpse of His time in the temple at Jerusalem, when He was separated from Mary and Joseph, indicates that He was a bright child in more ways than one. A key verse about His childhood is Luke 2:52. Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favour with God and man. He thrived in every way.

In an ideal world, all children would have enough nutritious food, clean water, shelter, love, and Truth that they would thrive physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. But we live in a broken world where the weak are oppressed by the strong. Often children are the ones who suffer most from famine, disease, war, hatred, and a life without Christ. One example is the high proportion of children affected by the war in Iraq. This tragedy is multiplied many times over in several countries. What should we do? True religion is to visit the fatherless in their affliction. We may not be able to help all children, but if we all do our part we can make a difference by helping the ones God has placed on our hearts.

Another tragedy is the lack of godly mentoring and biblical teaching for children who have all of their material needs met. Just because the child is thriving physically does not mean that they are spiritually secure. We often see physically healthy kids with spiritual anorexia. What have we done to help develop their Christian worldview?

Children blossom when they are given a healthy, safe, and loving environment. Our goal is to give them every opportunity to trust Christ and be Christ-like servants for the glory of God for their whole life. A friend of mine who is a well-known Canadian children’s minister says, “Unless we reach their hearts today, they will break our hearts tomorrow.” The consequence of ignoring this challenge is a lost generation of broken people in a broken world.

What can we do? All children are precious in the sight of the Lord, and we are sent out by God to serve the physical and spiritual needs of children. One way ABWE seeks to obey God’s Word is by focusing on ministry to children. Sunday Schools, teacher training, orphanages, schools for the blind, hospitals, Bible clubs, camps, and sports ministry are a few of the ways we seek to minister to the whole child. Every child’s soul is of more value than the whole world, and they can thrive in every way if given the choice and chance.