Just Ordinary Children

I’m reading Everett Swanson’s biography. In 1953, working with army chaplains in Korea, he saw starving, freezing, suffering ‘orphans of war’: ‘Preteen girls cowered in hovels, clutching younger siblings to their sides. Malnourished kids fought over scraps in the army garbage piles…’

It’s an image we’re so familiar with today. Swanson’s response was to form the organisation known today as Compassion International, that cares for more that two million children around the world…

Jesus repeatedly talked about caring for the weak and insignificant – especially children:  ‘Whoever gives these little ones even a cup of cold water you will surely be rewarded.’

Ordinary children: Suffering Children.

Yesterday’s news was dominated by the sentencing of the teenage killer Axel Rudakubana for the ‘sadistic’ murders of three young girls in Southport last July. The attack was described as ‘shocking’ and ‘pure evil’.

We were reminded of Elsie, Bebe and Alice who were murdered, of the other children and adults who were seriously wounded. Just ordinary children enjoying an ordinary dance club – but very special to their families and friends who now miss them so much.

Jesus’ disciples thought that the adults – men especially – were most important. Thy tried to send mothers and children away. Jesus famously said: ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them…’

Ordinary children: Special Children

For many years I worked with children – teaching children, enabling others to teach them, organising holiday clubs… studying psychology, sociology, development… observing needs, characteristics, gifts and talents.

I’m now retired from teaching. I spend my time with people of all ages. I enjoy discovering that everybody I meet has something to teach me. In particular there’s something very special about children from which I can learn.

Jesus told his disciples, ‘Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’ Don’t patronise, underestimate or ignore children: observe them, learn from them, imitate them… Ordinary children are extraordinary.

Ordinary children: Spiritual Children