The children… our future

Wherever there are children around, we are blessed. We have heard it said many times over, that children are our future. It is true. The very presence of children gives us hope.

When a child is born, its mind is a clean slate. In its innocence, there are no prejudices or biases.

Each child depends on adults and other children to influence it so that it can form its own character. Our job as adults is to nurture and teach the children to learn what is right and good.

Look around at the locations you frequent, and the events and places you serve and attend. Are there children there? In most cases, children enhance enjoyment. We welcome children and desire their presence at events that are fun and educational. When the kids have fun, so do the adults.

Can you imagine not having kids at places like church, the library, school, Disneyland, the movies, or the zoo? How about a family reunion, a birthday party, a neighborhood gathering, or some other celebration?

Generally speaking, we love children. The presence of a child makes everything more pleasurable. We love to see pictures of children, whether they are our own kids, or someone else’s. I would almost guarantee you that if you were to pick up any issue of The Madera Tribune, you would see pictures of children. That’s because we love children, too.

In the church I attend regularly, we have a few kids, and our pastor always gives a children’s sermon in which all the kids come forward and sit with him as he relates a story or shows them something to teach a lesson about God. During this time, he allows them opportunities to interact with him. “Out of the mouths of babes” come some very interesting answers and comments. This is an enjoyable time for the whole congregation, and usually laughter ensues.

Some of you may remember Art Linkletter’s show in which he had a segment called, “Children say the darndest things.” He would interview a set of children and ask them some questions. The answers were always comical. Oh, the innocence of children!

Children are like intellectual sponges. Whatever they hear they learn, whether it is good or bad information. This is why we must be careful what we say around children. We want them to learn to be loving and caring and compassionate, as well as knowledgeable. How we treat children is as important as what they hear us say. Always be kind to a child. Even through discipline we can show our love for them.

People who have issues as adults often attribute their difficulties to how they were treated as children. A lack of love can cause a person to have a character that is destructive or hateful. The influences we received as children were important in how we were molded into adults.

So, appreciate those kids wherever you see them. They are our future, and we want them to be molded so that our future stays intact.

— Love to all,

Nancy

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Train children in the way they should go; when they grow old, they won’t depart from it. — Proverbs 22:6