Living a Pro-Child Life

From Eden to Bethlehem, Scripture shows that children are not a side note in God’s story they are central to it. In God’s first covenant promise, he spoke of an offspring who would crush the serpent (Genesis 3:15). In the life of Israel, parents were commanded to teach God’s law diligently to their children (Deuteronomy 6:4–9). And when Jesus’s disciples tried to turn children away, Christ himself responded with indignation, embraced them, and declared that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Mark 10:13–16).

If Jesus cares about children this much, we should too. But being pro‑child isn’t just about good intentions or programs it’s about cultivating the heart and posture of Christ toward the little ones entrusted to us.

1. Presence Be Warm and Welcoming

When children were brought to Jesus, they did not hesitate to approach him. Why? Because his life communicated affection and accessibility. Jesus was never too large or too aloof for the little ones. He welcomed them, took them in his arms, and blessed them (Mark 9:36; Mark 10:16). His life was marked by gentleness toward those the world often overlooks.

To be truly pro‑child, we must cultivate the same presence. It begins with humility seeing the lowly and vulnerable and wrapping them in gentleness (Romans 12:16). Do children feel welcomed in your church, your small group, your home? Do they sense that your heart is open to them, not merely tolerant of their noise?

2. Priority Children Deserve Our Time and Attention

Jesus’s life was filled with urgent mission and divine purpose, yet he paused for children. On his way to the cross and in the midst of ministry demands, he made time for the little ones.

In our lives, this calls for more than scheduled programs. It requires a responsive, interruptible life. Children don’t operate on our calendars they tug at our sleeves and call for our presence in the moment. If Jesus could take time for them, we can too. We can set aside our plans, bend down to eye level, and give children the attention that whispers, You matter to me.

3. Prayer Lift Up Children Spiritually

Jesus didn’t just receive children he blessed them. With hands laid on them and words spoken over them, he affirmed their place before God. This reveals something deeper than a sentimental moment. Jesus saw eternal value in children’s souls.

We should pray like he did. Not only for children’s physical safety, but for their spiritual growth, their future faithfulness, their hearts to be shaped by Christ. Whether or not we are parents, we can bring children by name before God, interceding for their salvation, protection, and joy in the Lord.

Beware of Pro‑Child Rhetoric Without Christlike Posture

It’s possible to claim support for children in theory while neglecting them in life. The disciples knew Scripture and valued children on paper, yet they initially rebuffed those who brought children to Jesus. Likewise, our churches can have robust children’s ministries, and our homes can affirm the importance of family, yet our hearts may still be too big or too busy to truly welcome the smallest among us.

Jesus’s rebuke in Mark 10:14 is a sobering reminder: “Let the children come to me… for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” The posture of faith he commends is not maturity in age or achievement but humility of heart the same kind that children naturally display.

The Heart of Christ for Children

Herman Bavinck observed that Jesus loved children with “a grand and profound love.” The same love that moved Christ to leave his heavenly glory (Philippians 2:5–11) must shape how we see and serve children. God’s kingdom does not welcome the haughty; it welcomes those who bend low.

This means:

• Presence creating spaces where children feel welcomed, safe, and valued.

• Priority giving them not only scheduled attention but real life attention.

• Prayer lifting up their souls before God with earnest intercession.

Children aren’t merely temporary guests in our lives they are part of God’s people, heirs of grace, and the next generation of disciples. They need not only our programs but our hearts.

A Life That Says, “Let the Children Come”

To oppose the anti‑child forces of our world, we need more than pro‑life positions or activity schedules. We need posture the posture of Jesus, who bent down, welcomed, blessed, and proclaimed the kingdom to children.

If our hearts are shaped by Christ, then our presence, priorities, and prayers will echo his command: “Let the children come.”

And the children not forced, but drawn will come.

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