“The Children Are Delicate”

‘The children are delicate; I will travel slowly, at the pace of the children.’—Jacob, father of many children, 18th century B.C.E.

THE mistreatment of children is not new. Ancient civilizations—such as the Aztecs, the Canaanites, the Incas, and the Phoenicians—are infamous for the practice of child sacrifice. Excavations in the Phoenician city of Carthage (now a suburb of Tunis, North Africa) revealed that between the fifth and the third centuries B.C.E., as many as 20,000 children were sacrificed to the god Baal and the goddess Tanit! This number is all the more shocking when one bears in mind that in its heyday Carthage was said to have a population of only about 250,000.

However, there was one ancient society that was different. Despite living amid neighbors that were cruel to children, the nation of Israel stood out in its treatment of little ones. The father of that nation, the patriarch Jacob, set the example. According to the Bible book of Genesis, while returning to his homeland, Jacob adjusted the pace of his whole entourage so as not to be too hard on the children. “The children are delicate,” he said. At that time his children were somewhere between 5 and 14 years of age. (Genesis 33:13, 14) His offspring, the Israelites, showed the same respect for children’s needs and dignity.

Surely, children in Bible times had a lot to do. As they grew, boys were given practical training by their fathers in agriculture or in a trade, such as carpentry. (Genesis 37:2; 1 Samuel 16:11) While at home, girls were taught by their mothers the domestic arts that would be of value in adult life. Rachel, Jacob’s wife, was a shepherdess when she was a young girl. (Genesis 29:6-9) Young women worked in the fields during the grain harvest and in the vineyards. (Ruth 2:5-9; Song of Solomon 1:6)a Such work was generally done under loving parental supervision and was combined with education.

At the same time, young children in Israel knew the joy of relaxation and amusements. The prophet Zechariah spoke of ‘public squares of the city being filled with boys and girls playing.’ (Zechariah 8:5) And Jesus Christ mentioned young children sitting in the marketplaces who played the flute and danced. (Matthew 11:16, 17) What was behind such dignified treatment of children?

Lofty Principles

As long as the Israelites observed the laws of God, they never abused or exploited their children. (Compare Deuteronomy 18:10 with Jeremiah 7:31.) They viewed their sons and daughters as “an inheritance from Jehovah,” “a reward.” (Psalm 127:3-5) A parent regarded his children as ‘slips of olive trees all around his table’—and olive trees were very precious in that agrarian society! (Psalm 128:3-6) Historian Alfred Edersheim notes that besides the words for son and daughter, ancient Hebrew had nine words for children, each for a different stage of life. He concludes: “Assuredly, those who so keenly watched child-life as to give a pictorial designation to each advancing stage of its existence, must have been fondly attached to their children.”

In the Christian era, parents were admonished to treat their children with dignity and respect. Jesus set an excellent example in dealing with other people’s children. On one occasion toward the end of his earthly ministry, people began bringing their young ones to him. Evidently believing that Jesus was too busy to be bothered, the disciples tried to stop the people. But Jesus reprimanded his disciples: “Let the young children come to me; do not try to stop them.” Jesus even “took the children into his arms.” There is no question but that he viewed children as precious and worthy of kind treatment.—Mark 10:14, 16; Luke 18:15-17.

Later, the apostle Paul said to fathers: “Do not be exasperating your children, so that they do not become downhearted.” (Colossians 3:21) In keeping with this command, Christian parents, back then and today, would never allow their children to become victims of abusive work conditions. They realize that for children to thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually, there is a need for a loving, caring, and safe environment. Real love on the part of parents should be tangible. This would include protecting their children from debilitating working conditions.

Modern Realities

Of course, we are living in “critical times hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Because of harsh economic realities, in many countries even Christian families may find it necessary to let their children join the work force. As already noted, there is nothing wrong with work that is wholesome and educational for children. Such work can promote or enhance a child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development without interfering with necessary schooling, balanced recreation, and needed rest.

Undoubtedly, Christian parents want to have their children work under their own caring supervision, not as virtual slaves of cruel, insensitive, or unscrupulous employers. Such parents want to make sure that any type of work their children perform does not expose them to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Also, they want to have their children nearby. In this way they can fulfill their Bible-based role of spiritual educators: “You must inculcate [God’s words] in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.”—Deuteronomy 6:6, 7.

Moreover, a Christian is told to show fellow feeling, to have affection, and to be tenderly compassionate. (1 Peter 3:8) He is encouraged to “work what is good toward all.” (Galatians 6:10) If such godly qualities are to be shown to people in general, how much more so to one’s children! In keeping with the Golden Rule—“all things . . . that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them”—Christians would never allow themselves to exploit the children of others, fellow Christians or not. (Matthew 7:12) Additionally, since Christians are law-abiding citizens, they want to be careful not to violate governmental laws when it comes to the age limit of people who work for them.—Romans 13:1.

The Real Answer

What about the future? Better times lie ahead for children and adults alike. True Christians are confident that the permanent solution to the child labor problem is an incoming world government that the Bible calls “the kingdom of the heavens.” (Matthew 3:2) God-fearing people have prayed for this for centuries when they have said: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.”—Matthew 6:9, 10.

Among other things, this Kingdom will remove the conditions that lead to child labor. It will eradicate poverty. “The earth itself will certainly give its produce; God, our God, will bless us.” (Psalm 67:6) God’s Kingdom will ensure that all receive proper education based on godly qualities. “When there are judgments from [God] for the earth, righteousness is what the inhabitants of the productive land will certainly learn.”—Isaiah 26:9.

God’s government will abolish economic systems that foster inequality. Racial, social, age, or gender discrimination will have no place then, since the overriding law of that government will be the law of love, including the command: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) Under such a righteous world government, the child labor problem will be completely eliminated!

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A Madam Lets Her Girls Go

FOR 15 years, Ceciliab owned and operated brothels in one of the Caribbean islands. She purchased 12 to 15 girls at a time, most of them under 18 years of age. The girls were held against their will for debts their families had incurred. Cecilia paid off the debts and took the girls to work for her. From what they earned, she covered their food and maintenance expenses and also put aside a fraction toward their original purchase price. It took years for them to regain their freedom. The girls were never allowed out of the house unless a guard went along.

Cecilia remembers one particular case very well. The mother of a prostitute girl came each week to receive boxes of food—food that had been earned by her daughter’s “work.” That girl was raising a son. She could not get ahead with her debts and had no hope for a life of freedom. One day she committed suicide, leaving a note that entrusted her son to the care of her madam. Cecilia raised the boy along with her own four children.

One of Cecilia’s daughters began to study the Bible with missionaries of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Cecilia was encouraged to participate in the study, but initially she refused because she had never learned to read or write. Gradually, though, by overhearing discussions from the Bible, she came to discern God’s love and patience and to cherish his forgiveness. (Isaiah 43:25) Out of a desire to study the Bible herself, she soon started learning to read and write. As she progressed in Bible knowledge, she saw the need to conform to God’s lofty moral standards.

One day, to the surprise of the girls, she told them that they were free to go! She explained that what they were doing was very displeasing to Jehovah. None of them ever repaid what they owed her. However, two moved in to live with her. Another eventually became a baptized Witness. Cecilia has been a full-time Bible teacher for 11 years now, helping other people break free from God-dishonoring practices.

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