Written by: Tim Glenn
One of the great Bible stories we love to talk about at Compassion is when Jesus brought a child into the midst of a conversation He was having with the disciples. Jesus pretty much stopped a very serious discussion and turned His focus to a child. And, in doing so, He brought that child to the attention of the entire crowd.
I wonder, what impact would it have had if a child had been “in the midst” of different events in history?
What if a child had been in the room during the penning of the Declaration of Independence?
Do you think our founding fathers would have addressed the importance of children by adding a line stating they were seeking independence “for the future of our children?”
Look at John Trumbull’s famous painting of the signing of the Declaration:
Now imagine how much that image changes if a child is added to the scene.
I wonder how many wars would never have started if a child had been in the war planning room.
Imagine a child asking, “But why? Why do you want to hurt those mommies and daddies?”… or better yet, “Are you going to hurt the children too?” (Over the past ten years, more children have died as the result of wars than soldiers.)
What other moments in history might have changed, if a child had been “in the midst?”
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August 19th, 2008 at 8:01 am
In Lincoln’s booth at Ford theater, Kennedy’s car in Dallas, or the abortionist’s examining rooms.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Those are good, Juli. I also wondered about what difference it would have made, if a child was in the room in 1973, when the Supreme Court was deciding on Roe vs.Wade.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I would also recommend adding a picture of a FAMILY in those scenes! If there were just a child in the declaration of independence photo, I’d be asking who’s kid is that?!?! Aren’t they going to distract from what is going on?!?! (I’m picturing Guiliani’s son at his NYC mayoral inauguration!)
Also, I understand your point, but be careful of the statistics you use. Citing children dying in wars in the last 10 years, I’m immediately thinking you’re bashing what the U.S. has done in Iraq and Afganistan! (probably not your intention at all) I’m willing to bet a good majority of those children (cited in the UNICEF article) were a part of the genocides that have occurred in Africa (e.g. Rwanda)
August 19th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Very interesting perspective, especially since I work with children forty hours a week… valuing their very presence is so important.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I’m really loving these photos showing up in the sidebar each day — such as these children in Mexico!
August 20th, 2008 at 8:30 am
I appreciate this post and the perspective you offered, Tim. I really tried to think of other places and times when the presence of a child “in their midst” might have made a positive difference. But the more I tried, the more situations I thought of where the presence of children means they are badly used, abused and otherwise put in grave danger. Too often, children are seen and used as disposable tools. And I’m not referring only to such use of children as suicide bombers or in child prostitution; we find ways to showcase children, in this country, for our own (often political) purposes, without regard for what is really best for them.
I’m sorry; I know this is a really negative post and I wasn’t going to say anything, since I couldn’t think of a positive picture. But . . . the reality is that the presence of one or more children often does not work to their good.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
The issue of war is a very difficult one. I can definitely understand what Steve K. is saying, especially with the war in Iraq, Sadam was torturing little children. It’s such a tough decision whether a war is right or wrong and the thing with wars is that the general public isn’t (for very good reasons) given all of the facts involved to really make a well educated decision. It’s difficult.
One thing I can’t help but think of is what happened with my mom and dad during Worldwar II, especially my mom. My mom and her family lived near the port of Rotterdam. During the German occupation, a lot of German Navy ships were in the port, just less than a mile from her home. The allied forces decided to bomb the ship port, but they missed their target and one of the bombs ended up falling on my mom’s home and her neighbours. (The homes were all connected). Well, it ended up destroying her whole home with all of her possessions. The neighbours next door were a doctor family who had about 10 children and also had a waiting room full of patients. The bomb killed everyone in the home. She never felt bitter towards the allied forces ever. As a matter of a fact, I asked her earlier this year what attracted her to my dad and one of the main things was that he had been in the USA and she liked the USA.
It’s tough though. I do think that if a nation goes to war, they need to make sure to keep civilian casualties to a minimum. We can really pray right now for the families in Georgia. The Russian government has turned Checian mercernaries on them, particularly the families.
Going back to Compassion. I told a few of my children that my mom’s home had been bombed away. I also like to send pictures and one of the pictures, I send was of a little stonen figure of a little girl. It’s the only thing that survived and my mom gave it to me, so I have it in my home. I sent the children a picture of it. I just got one of the letters, where one of the children commented about it. But the translation was kind of funny. It called it a “rock girl!” I though they were talking about some rockstar or so and then all of sudden, I realized that’s what they must be talking about!
Tim, Thanks for bringing this prospective too. I’m going to be thinking about it!
Kees
August 20th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Oh, that’s actually a piece of the conversation that I was hoping someone would bring up, Vicki…what about those times where a child in the midst ISN’T a good thing?
Good points. For example, some of the ideas given here in comments: I’m actually glad there WASN’T a child in the car with JFK on the day. And I’m glad Lincoln wasn’t sitting next to a child in Ford Theatre.
There are definitely times/places/opportunities where a child in the midst could have had a positive outcome…but definitely some where the outcome would have been negative as well.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I was thinking that if Lincoln’s son was beside him, or Kennedy’s children in the car, perhaps they wouldn’t have fired a shot. However, in the case of the abortionist’s examining room, there IS a child present, and yet they are willing to kill anyway.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Sometimes I don’t think if children were present it would make much of a difference. Many “Third World” countries and regimes like Uganda,Burma and usually other African countries and militias in these places use child soldiers to commit unspeakable and untypable horrors and atrocities. Some use children as human shields even.
Some things maybe having a child present would change them but other things I don’t think would even change.
Sorry about the depressing post but this is pretty much reality…
August 21st, 2008 at 12:03 am
I think the important thing in the blog is to remember the children and when watching the news, evaluate how it effects children. For instance tomorrow, Fay will be crossing our town Gainesville. All the children will be out of school for that day. (Of course, I have to be honest, when I was that age, I probably would have regarded that as a good thing! LOL!)
But that was just an example, there are other examples, like the war in Georgia and an earthquake in China, etc…
Blessings,
Kees
August 21st, 2008 at 12:44 am
Ur rite Kees!I always think of all the childrens suffering first.When Fay hit Haiti they were the first ones I prayed for. I just thought Id add the sobering,no rose colored glasses outlook to the post though. So many societies do not place much value on childrens lives!