A ‘Thought for the Day’ for Black Cat radio – broadcast 10th May 2019

So there’s a new royal baby, and I’d like to say welcome to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Regardless of what we might think of the Royal Family, or the idea of monarchy, and whether or not we have children of our own, the arrival of a new baby into the world is a source of joy and delight. This joy was very clear on Prince Harry’s face when he made his announcement to the media.

I think we’re joyful about the arrival of a new baby because we recognise him or her as a gift to us – a gift of new life, of new hope for the future. For Christians each child is a gift from God, someone that he loves and who has the potential to love others and be loved by them. Every child also has the potential to change the world for the better, to be a source of happiness and help as they grow up and go out into the world.

But children can’t become everything they could be without the support, help and guidance of adults. Parents and people who take on parent roles are the most important, of course, and do most of the very hard work of caring for, guiding and supporting their children.

But we all need to be involved. It’s a cliché to say that it takes a village to raise a child but sometimes clichés are true. Teachers, youth workers, leaders of clubs and children’s groups, friends, relatives and godparents also play important roles, and can help both children and their parents.

So, in a society that sometimes finds children a nuisance, too noisy, messy, demanding or just inconvenient, perhaps we can try to remember that children really are a gift to the whole human race, and that we all, as a society, have a part to play in helping the next generation grow into fully rounded, loving and loved human beings.