Just when you think you've heard the most bizarre news possible, along comes a story like the one reported by the Associated Press on Thursday, March 25, 2010. A 28-year-old woman from Tool, Texas, had been arrested, according to the report, for endangering her one-year- old baby. What led a mother to put her young child at risk? She was trying to save her SUV!
The woman must have been behind on her payments because a repossession agent had come to take away her vehicle. As the SUV was about to be driven away, the mother tossed her toddler through an open window into the vehicle. Texas law prohibits repossession of a vehicle if a person is inside, so the mother thought she had found a way to save her ride.
What she did, however, was put her child at risk. The repo agent reported seeing the baby thrown into the vehicle he was about to drive away, and said it bounced "like a kid bouncing on a bed". The child was safely retrieved and handed over to its father, even as the mother was handed over to authorities. Choosing her SUV over her child was a mighty poor choice.
Three years ago a mother in Pueblo, CO was arrested for selling her five-month-old son and using part of the proceeds to purchase a used car. Though the mother was arrested, she was given probation four months later after entering a plea. The child, however, remained in state's custody.
Reading stories like the above always shock us. If even mothers lose their strong bonds with their children, what is our world coming to? Is the value of an SUV equal to that of a child?!
The disciples once asked Jesus about who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Before responding, Matthew tells us, He placed a small child in their midst. Jesus then said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:2,3). Nowhere do we read of Jesus placing such a high value on things. Children, obviously, are very special in the Lord's sight.
Later in that same passage Jesus continued: "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10). Do children have angels that watch over them? That seems to be what Jesus is saying. Since God has such great interest in the well-being of little ones, shouldn't we?
Sometimes, though, we forget the value of a child. You surely have heard of the time when King Solomon was approached by two women, both claiming to be the mother of one infant. Solomon ordered that the baby be cut in half so that each woman would have a part. The real mother quickly cried out that she would give up her parental rights if it meant her child could live. The impostor, though, would rather have seen the child die than for the rightful mother to be given her baby.
We dare not forget how precious children are in the sight of the Lord! Children must never take a lower priority to things. If spending more time teaching and guiding our children means that we will have fewer possessions, then so be it. May we never be guilty of endangering our children just so we can rescue an SUV!
First Corinthians commentary: Get the new First Corinthians commentary from www.abiblecommentary.com. Preview the First Corinthians commentary through Google books at http://bit.ly/dfw86d. Other Bible commentary material from www.abiblecommentary.com includes a FREE on-line Romans commentary: http://bit.ly/3MRU5I
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