THE CHILDREN'S VALUE
It is to be noticed that when the Lord Jesus said "How much better then is a man than a sheep! " it was not exactly a question but an exclamation. We could also rightly say 'How much better is a little child than a lamb?' for there is no real, or moral comparison. It is true that both are the handiwork of the same faithful Creator. The Scriptures, however, teach that the life of a beast goes downwards into the earth in some way unknown to us, whereas the spirit of a human person returns to the God who gave it. Hence we all have to answer to Him for our lives. This makes us very careful even when we know that Jesus died for our sins and we cannot come into judgment. Already our spirits can rejoice in God our Saviour and if the price at which we have been bought is the Redeemer's blood, who can tell the value set upon us?
Through the Gospel writers we can tell how heaven values the young. Children in Capernaum were amongst those whom the Lord called and took in His arms - perhaps it was a girl who was set as an example to the great apostles! In the deep ways of God it was the little boys of Bethlehem who had the honour of being the first martyr-sufferers of Christian times, though not old enough to know it. From the lips of the children of Jerusalem came the purity of praise to the Lord Jesus in just a very few simple words. But now that the Saviour is exalted in heaven itself the children of the place where you live can come by faith to Him for blessing, can be a witness and sing His praises.
The Scriptures also show how the young can be of special value just where they are because of some unexpected event. In one instance a girl was able to run with a message vital to the safety of king David. She was evidently serving in the house where the ark of God was and it would be dangerous for the older ones to leave. Later history shows that our Lord's lineage springing from Judah depended at one time on an infant named Joash. He was the only member of the royal family saved alive at a time of great sorrow. In much later times a maid named Rhoda was able just as a door-keeper to make way for the apostle Peter amongst the Christians assembled to pray for him. The actual words of the Bible show that his voice was very clearly in her mind. Are his writings clearly in your mind?
J.C.Evershed