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People were bringing little children to him,
for him to touch them. The disciples turned them
away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and
said to them, "Let the little children come to me, do
not stop them; for it is to such as these that the
kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly,
anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like
a little child will never enter it." Then he put his
arms round them, laid his hands on them, and gave
them his blessing.
--Mark 10.13-16 (JB) |
Children remind us of the miracle of life and of the continuing opportunity for renewal. We recognize that children have that of God in them as do adults. We are called, therefore, to treat them with respect and dignity and to stay in dialogue with them. While their abilities and 'weightiness' vary according to their experience and clarity, we cherish the contributions that they make to family, meeting, and social life.
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Our children are given to us for a time to cherish, to protect, to nurture, and then to salute as
they go their separate ways. They too have the light
of God within, and a family should be a learning
community in which children not only learn skills
and values from parents, but in which adults learn
new ways of experiencing things and seeing things through young eyes. From their birth on, let us
cultivate the habit of dialogue and receptive
listening. We should respect their right to grow into their
own wholeness, not just the wholeness we may wish
for them.
--Elizabeth Watson, 1980 |
We recognize that Friends' families come in many patterns, each one with its own gifts, abilities, and challenges. Friends try to harmonize daily life with spiritual belief and seek to meet