SENTINEL WATCH January 11, 2010 Issue

LET'S PRAY FOR AT-RISK CHILDREN

JEREMY CARPER

SOMETIMES FILMS about social issues bring us face to face with the great needs of at-risk children in impoverished inner cities. One might know theoretically that children in poverty are often exposed to violence, abuse, and drug trafficking. But I was deeply moved by two recent films—Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire, and The Blind Side. They show the struggles of their central characters, Claireece "Precious" Jones and Michael Oher, to overcome almost insurmountable odds. Our hearts yearn to protect and help Precious and Mike, as well as all children in these situations. The Blind Side (a football term) is loosely based on a true story, and while Precious is the film version of a novel, they both bring a remarkable and truthful urgency to the screen.

And this urgency is a call to prayer. Christ Jesus made a powerful statement about treatment of children 2,000 years ago, by bringing out their preciousness to God and extending this love not just to one's own children but to all of them. Mark's Gospel records that when people wanted to bring their children to Jesus, his disciples tried to prevent them. Jesus forcefully rebuked them, saying, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." The Bible's account continues, "And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:14, 16, New International Version).

Sometimes it may not be appropriate or even possible to take children into our arms physically, but we can certainly do this metaphorically, in our active prayers. All children, but especially those in our inner cities, need the protection and guidance of an all-loving Father-Mother God. All children are God's children, and they are His cherished ideas, safe in His presence and power. Mary Baker Eddy described children in Science and Health as representing "the spiritual thoughts and representatives of Life, Truth, and Love" (p. 582). This uncompromising view of children is spiritual, and it allows no exclusions for race or ethnicity, neighborhood or language, but holds them all as the representatives of divine Love.