Protect Our Children
“How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.” (Psalm 104:24, NIV)
I guess by now, after all these devotions that I have written, you know I am an animal lover. A few days ago, I watched a baby elephant being born. That in itself was a miracle of nature but what happened next was the unforgettable part.
Within seconds, the mama helped her baby stand up; then the others started trumpeting and surrounding the mother and baby. This was explained as an act of acceptance and protection for the newborn. For miles the sound of this welcoming committee could be heard by all living things. Unfortunately, it gave poachers an approximate location of the herd as well. They stayed clustered together and moved as a group to safety.
Are we much different when our human children are born? There is great commotion, celebration and lots of prayers over this tiny, vulnerable infant. Yes, sometimes the families all rush in to see, hold the baby and offer all kinds of suggestions about parenting. (Eye roll please!)
As time goes by, the young calf learns to grab hold of the mother elephant’s tail and follows quietly behind. This too is for the baby’s protection. There are no real predators of an adult elephant (except poachers) but lions will attack the young that have strayed off from the herd.
We have a predator who would like to separate our children from the church herd and destroy them. He walks around like that roaring lion, seeking something to attack. Our young are helpless in this world. They desperately need to stay with the group where they can be protected and learn wisdom to avoid traps.
Nature has taught the elephants to celebrate and take care of their young. We could learn a lesson or two from them. Perhaps our infant baptism could be compared to their welcoming party. In it, we promise, as a church family, to support and help raise that child of God. Then at the appropriate age, there is confirmation; and again, we as a family of believers surround this teen with love and prayers as they openly admit their faith. Yes, we are just as protective of our young but we miss the road signs at times.
An elephant simply knows it’s an elephant and nature does its thing. We will always be children of God and as such, we might do well to follow where the saints have trod. Their tracks are bigger than any elephant’s!
Father, teach us to surround our young and to protect them at any age. Help us to lead them on the paths the saints have walked. AMEN.