Image-bearing dignity is not based on status, ability, or potential, but on the fact that each person reflects the very nature of God Himself. This truth applies to children, to the same degree as it applies to adults. Every child, regardless of their stage in life, carries an intrinsic worth that should be celebrated and cherished by the people of God.  

But even more than that, Jesus teaches us that there are special perspectives and truths we can learn from children. He even calls his followers to become like children when it pertains to our faith, activating wonder, dependence, and purity in our walk. 

A Radical View of Children

In the Greco-Roman world, the view of children was radically different. Children were often considered burdensome, valuable only for their future potential. They were sometimes discarded, often sold, and even treated as property. The practice of abandoning infants was common, and the abuse of children was not only frequent but also socially acceptable. Ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle saw children as immature and not worthy of consideration, while Cicero reduced their value to mere potential, not as beings with inherent worth. 

Yet into this world, Jesus entered with a revolutionary message. His treatment of children was profoundly countercultural. While society dismissed children, Jesus embraced them. In Matthew 19:14, when His disciples tried to send the children away, Jesus stopped them and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” This was not merely a kind gesture—it was a declaration that children held an essential place in God’s kingdom. 

Jesus and the Value of Children

In Mark 9:37, Jesus makes the powerful connection between how we treat children and how we treat God: “Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but him who sent Me.” To welcome a child, Jesus said, is to welcome Him. This was a radial thing to teach in the first century. Jesus wasn’t just calling for kindness toward children—He was linking our treatment of children to our relationship with God Himself. 

In a society that saw children as disposable, Jesus saw them as irreplaceable. He warned in Luke 17:2, “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.” The protection, care, and nurture of children are of utmost importance to Jesus, and they should be for us too. 

The Early Church’s Response

The early church took Jesus’ commands seriously. In a time when children were abandoned, abused, and exploited, Christians stood apart by caring for vulnerable children. Early Christian communities adopted abandoned children, not to use them for labor or profit, but to raise them as their own. The church often became a refuge for children, following the model of Christ in valuing and protecting them. 

Church leaders also advocated for the protection of children at the highest levels of government. It was through Christian pressure that the Roman Emperor Constantine criminalized infanticide and made provisions for poor families so they would not have to abandon their children. The church’s care for children was more than an act of charity—it was a theological conviction, rooted in the belief that every child is an image-bearer of God. 

Children as Image Bearers Today

Today, the world’s treatment of children still often falls short of Jesus’ call. Children around the world face poverty, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Millions of children are orphans or displaced, while others are trapped in systems of human trafficking and slavery. In our own communities, children face challenges of neglect, abuse, and lack of support.  

We are called to honor the intrinsic value of every child, recognizing their dignity and worth because they are made in God’s image. This means standing up for vulnerable children, offering care, protection, and advocacy for those who cannot defend themselves. Our response to the needs of children should reflect Christ’s own heart—a heart that welcomed them, protected them, met their needs, and declared that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 

A Call to Action

What can we do to honor the image of God in children? We can begin by ensuring that our churches are safe havens, implementing policies that protect children from harm. We can also step into our communities, partnering with local organizations to provide resources for children in need, whether through foster care support, after-school programs, or advocacy for vulnerable children. 

By following Jesus’ example, we have the privilege of demonstrating the love of God to the smallest and most vulnerable among us. In doing so, we uphold the truth that every child is fearfully and wonderfully made, bearing the image of God and worthy of our care, attention, and protection. 

There is no junior Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave lives in you and me, and that same Spirit also lives and moves within children who have placed their faith in Jesus. May we learn from the faith of children, who love Jesus with wonder, purity, and intentionality.

This article goes along with the Image of God in Children section of our study. Join us as we walk through our Image of God study over the next couple of months! 

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