Article October 15, 1979 Issue

Treasuring our children

JÜRGEN KURT STARK

During the International Year of the Child the thoughts of many people turn quite naturally toward children, especially if they have had children of their own or wish they had some. Is there a concept of children all can enjoy—whether or not they have had families?

There is indeed. We might start by asking ourselves, "Who are our children?" Some will point to their physical offspring. Others to people toward whom they feel a special closeness, as Paul did when he wrote to Philemon concerning the runaway slave Onesimus: "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds."^{Philem. 1:10;} Or are we on the way to discovering that our children include the Christlike thoughts and qualities we receive from God, the Father Mind, every minute of the day? The allness of Spirit, for example, the perfection of God's creation, the inseparability of Mind and idea, the holiness of man—not to mention purity, wisdom, integrity, brotherhood. In the first part of her definition of "children" as a Bible term, Mrs. Eddy brings out this metaphysical aspect: "Children. The spiritual thoughts and representatives of Life, Truth, and Love."^{Science and Health, p. 582;}

On the human scene we are expected to treat our children well. Shouldn't we be expected to do the same with the right thoughts that come from God? Do we treasure them? Do we show our respect for them when we receive them—applying them to whatever situation we may find ourselves in or taking note of them for future use? Just as a pedestrian may sometimes slip and fall on the road and be grateful for the stretched-out hand of a child helping him to stand up, so we may sometimes have slipped into immorality, for example. Are we willing to let the idea—the child—of the God-given purity of man help us back on our feet? Or do we turn our back on it and push it brusquely aside? Do we always make room for the Christly thoughts? Or do we allow extreme busyness, sense excitement, hurry, or worry to leave no space for being active in goodness? Have we saved a place for quietness and trust? The answers to these and similar questions may indicate how good we are in the care of our "children"—the thoughts that God has sent us.

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