C. S. Lewis was a serious scholar, a man surrounded by books and writing and supremely intelligent people.
Perhaps that makes yesterday’s quote a bit surprising:
Children are not a distraction from more important work.
They are the most important work.
As proof of his commitment to children, Lewis, whose penetrating analysis of Christianity is still studied and quoted more than 70 years after his death, wrote a beloved series of children’s stories: The Chronicles of Narnia.
As someone who devoted my professional career to guiding and teaching young people, I agree with Lewis. Perhaps society’s greatest responsibility is to protect its children and to see that every child – every single child – has the opportunity to maximize their individual potential.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Knowing the context of Jesus’ ministry, it’s likely these children were poor, outcasts, part of the out-crowd. Because that’s mostly who he spent his time around. And Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belonged to them.
Of course, I immediately think of the 22 kids at the Home of Hope. I picture Jesus welcoming them, hugging them, weeping when they struggle. It’s that picture that keeps us going, that makes our YES be YES, year after year.
There are so many more, not just trafficked children but kids suffering from food insecurity and neglect and substandard educational opportunity. They are all around the world, and they are right here at home.
None of us, by ourselves, can do it all. But together, as a society, these children are our most important work. We ought to do all we can for them.
Because Jesus said so.