Our Most Valuable Resource

Our children are our most valuable resource as a society because our future resides in their hands. Yesterday a student at Virgina Tech University shot and killed 33 people, mostly students. I have to wonder what happened to this student that caused such a horrible event. We probably will never know. I don't know why God allows things to happen in a person's past that eventually generates enough anger and hatred to take the lives of others. The one thing I do know is that the things we allow to happen to our children now will affect the outcome as they head towards adulthood and sometimes intervention can turn the tide of future events.

Jesus held a special place in his heart for the children, here are His words from the gospel of Matthew 19:14 ^

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Here are some stats:
each day more than 3 children die from child abuse
an estimate 1100 children die each year
most of the children who die are younger than 5 years old
three in ten people have witnessed child abuse, But only 56% respond to the abuse....
44% of the people do nothing!

There are four types of abuse; neglect, physical, sexual, and emotional that can have an impact on a child, the people around them, and even their future if they are lucky enough to survive. Jesus placed such a high priority on the children yet even our laws and culture place them at the low end of society's totem pole. The change has to start with each one of us being aware of the hurt and pain that goes on everyday in our own cities and towns and then choosing not to ignore it, hoping it will go away because it won't. As we become more calloused, more things like Virginia Tech or Columbine High School will occur because of the pain, neglect and abuse that is taken out upon this nation's youth. We the parents and adults are ultimately responsible for the mentoring and teaching of our children.

Dueteronomy 6

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe... ^so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly... just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.

^ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ^ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ^ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Co-Authored by Tom Neyhart