Question from a Site Viewer
Do you think it is important to show children love? How and why do you think they should be showed that they are loved?
Tim’s Answer
I appreciate your question. Those who are loving people show love (1 John 3:16-18). If we do not show love, then God does not dwell in us (1 John 4:8, 16, 20-21). Paul tells Titus to instruct older women that they would teach younger women to love their children (Titus 2:4). Those who do not show love to their children do not love God. In Matthew 18:5-6, Jesus places the highest value on children.
You ask how children should be loved. Children should be held and sheltered, told that they are loved, provided for, protected, embraced, played with, instructed, shared time with, listened to, and disciplined from a heart of love when appropriate. These actions should stem from a heart that loves, that emotionally attaches to the child. These expressions of love help a child to understand love, help a child to grow up with a healthy understanding of life, and aid the child’s understanding of God’s great love for them because they have seen the Father’s love modeled in their parents or caretakers. It helps them adjust to life. It helps them thrive. Without being shown love, children often seek love and attention in inappropriate places and ways. They act out, they grow resentful and bitter. They enter adult life with a severe handicap, because they have never known the security, comfort, and blessing of love.
It comes somewhat as a shock to me that anyone would think that children can thrive without love being expressed to them. Even among animals, love is shown to the young ones. How could anyone possibly think that we, those who are made in the image of God, should not display a greater likeness of His character of love to our offspring than the animals.
I do not know what prompts your question; whether you have experienced a life without love, whether you are confronting someone who believes loving children is not important, or whether your question is prompted by some other factor. The Apostle Paul tells us that the greatest thing is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). A life without love is a life devoid of the richness of life; the fullness of life that God has promised to those who love Him. God loves people. He desires that we would share in His love. For those who trust Jesus to save them from their sins and seek to follow Jesus, God’s love for them is without bounds (Ephesians 3:17-19; Romans 8:31-39). I trust that you will know this great love and be able to help others see that the greatest blessing is God’s love. I close with the great verse from Jude 21:
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you with His presence and love.
tim