Children deserve to be kept safe from harm. When they come forward, we must not blame them for someone else’s wrongdoing. Young people are impressionable, naive, and curious about the world — but they are never responsible for the harm inflicted on them. Our focus must remain where it belongs: on the harmdoers. Children are not to blame.
Scripture:
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” — Matthew 18:10 (NIV)
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” — Ephesians 6:4 (ESV)
Living Parable:
Imagine a child carrying a small clay jar — delicate, unsteady, yet full of promise. Along the way, someone stronger comes and shatters it. Who is to blame? Not the child, who was still learning how to walk carefully, but the one who chose to harm. Too often, we scold the child for “dropping” what was never meant to be taken from them in the first place.
God calls us to see children as treasures entrusted to our care, not burdens to correct when others do them harm. Their curiosity is not sin. Their innocence is not guilt. Safety means directing accountability where it belongs — toward those who break trust, not toward the ones who were meant to be kept safe.
Future Study Prompt:
Read Matthew 18:5–7. Reflect: How can I become more mindful of protecting children from harm — in my home, community, and church? Where might I need to shift my focus from blaming the vulnerable to holding the powerful accountable?
