Where You Lead

A Humble Child

Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

Matthew 18:5

Whenever I read this passage, two distinct issues come to my mind. The first is a memory of my favorite priest, Fr. Harold Moore, always welcoming children of all ages at Mass. So many times mothers with children are required to sit in a sound proof room and I always wonder how Jesus would react to such segregation.

The other thought that this passage elicits is that of unwed mothers. So many Christians are pro-life and yet I’ve seen Christians react terribly to teen pregnancy. Whether it’s a parent who goes into a rage that their teen is about to become a parent or simply a friend or acquaintance whispering about the latest teen who is pregnant, it always strikes me as odd that these babies are not celebrated.

Oh, I know, pre-marital sex is not acceptable. Yet, it happens and a child is sometimes the result. That result – a child – is always a blessing. Always.

I do speak from experience. My son was just 16 when we learned his girlfriend was pregnant. It took me all of 30 seconds to break through my shock, muffle my stern lectures and say simply, “We’ll deal with it.” And we did. Now 19, my son is an excellent father although the teen romance did not last. My granddaughter is the bright spot in many of my days; I can’t imagine life without her.

We will never know why our Lord intended for that beautiful child to become a part of this family, knowing that her parents were not meant to be together. It doesn’t matter. Jesus instructed us to welcome the children into our lives. The next time you hear of a teen or any unmarried person becoming a parent, hug them. Love them. And welcome that child into the world. Celebrate!