ing about recent news of yet another tragic
death of a young person and wondering what
the child’s mother might have done to help
save the child from this ill-fate. Immediately,
the Holy Spirit placed in mine that in many
instances, the child’s destiny lies, at least in
part, in the hands of the woman who had the
power to make a difference in their young
lives.
I am not judging them nor am I suggesting all the burden of child rearing is on women,
fathers have a grave responsibility in parenting which we will focus on in our June issue.
However, just because child-rearing is hard it
doesn’t give us, as women, the right to abdicate our responsibilities to children—especially
if we brought them into the world or see that
they are in need of guidance and support.
In God’s infinite wisdom, he gave
women the ability and responsibility of birthing children—entrusting us with the giving and
nurturing of life from unborn to adulthood.
(Genesis 1:27-28, 3:20; Proverbs 31:10-21)
If we fail to do our part, how can the children
reach their greatest potential? Children need
to be loved and treated as the gifts they are
from God rather than as burdens or disposable items.
Who can find a virtuous
woman? for her price is far
above rubies.
Strength and honor are her
clothing; and she shall rejoice
in time to come.
—Proverbs 31:10, 25
It has become common place to hear
news about another child being murdered,
maimed, sold or left to die a defenseless
death. The acts that lead to these atrocities
are so unconscionable they defy everything
God placed in women when He made us to
be givers of life and nurturers to our children
who coincidentally did not ask to be here—
and certainly do not expect to be abandoned,
abused, misused or murdered by the one they
have looked to for love and protection. And
while these incidents may appear isolated,
they are becoming so frequent that society
has all but become numb to the heinousness
of the act and crime.
On the other hand, there are many children who suffer from a different type of abuses--emotional neglect, which includes a lack
of love and guidance to navigate the obstacle
course called life. Although emotional neglect
may not seem as sinister as a stabbing, beating or other immediate form of death, the
results can be devastating. And because
many neglected youth have been bombarded
with images of sex and sexuality as the ticket
to loving relationships, they have a void of
understanding about what real love is and is
not. Since most of their interactions with others are via electronic devices and social media,
their socialization is limited to images rather
than context and healthy conversations with
loving parents or other caring adults.
When deprived of love and a lack of
guidance, youth often seek what the world
is offering to get the emotional connection
they need. Feeling lonely, afraid or invincible,
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