God’s Word teaches that children are a blessing from the Lord, loved, valued and created with purpose.
Jesus welcomed children, elevated them as examples of faith and emphasized their importance and worth in God’s kingdom.
Because every child has God-given dignity and value, as followers of Jesus, we must protect, support and advocate for vulnerable children, especially those living in poverty.
Children Are a Blessing From the Lord: What the Bible Says
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. — Psalm 127:3, NIV
In this Bible verse, the Hebrew word translated as “heritage” is nachalah, meaning inheritance. A heritage or inheritance is a gift given to you. Think about your most cherished heirloom passed down from a family member — that’s what a heritage is like.
Here, we learn that children are gifts. They are blessings God gives out of his love for us. And just like any good and perfect gift, each child is lovingly created with care to be cherished by us and the heavenly Father.
Throughout Scripture, God highlights the importance and value of children, pointing to the incredible blessings they are to all of us.
They’re made in God’s image. Genesis 1:27 (NIV) says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” When we see a child, we see the image of God himself. The image of God isn’t something a child must grow into — they bear his likeness now.
They’re fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Each child is made purposefully. Every feature, gift and characteristic is carefully woven together by the heavenly Father.
They’re known. Psalm 139 continues in verses 15-16: “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Children are known intimately by God. He knew who they would be before they were born. Even now, he knows their hearts, their fears, their needs, their hopes and their dreams.
They’re worthy of protection and care. In Genesis 21, God cares for baby Ishmael by providing a well of water for him and his mother, Hagar, in the wilderness. And in Exodus 2, God protects little Moses by ensuring his basket made it down the Nile River. Countless stories in Scripture remind us that God sees children as precious, worthy of special care and protection.
They’re called by God. In 1 Samuel 16, young David is anointed by Samuel to be the most powerful king of Israel. In John 6, a young boy shares his lunch with Jesus, a sacrifice that leads to the feeding of thousands. And in Luke 2, Jesus himself teaches in the temple at just 12 years old. All throughout Scripture, God continuously called children to participate in the work of building his kingdom. He does the same today.
To God, children are never an afterthought. They’re deeply loved, cherished, chosen and called by him, on purpose and with purpose.
Explore other inspiring Bible verses about children.
Jesus’ Love for Children Throughout Scripture
God’s love for his children is clearly demonstrated in Jesus’ actions. As he walked on earth, Jesus welcomed children, pointed to them as examples of true faith and fought for their protection. Let’s explore together.
Jesus Welcomed Children When Others Overlooked Them
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” — Mark 10:13-14, NIV
At the time of Jesus’ ministry, children had little status. They had no power, influence or legal standing of their own. They were viewed as small and insignificant dependents who were to be seen and taught, not heard or followed.
To the disciples, the children seemed like distractions keeping Jesus from his important work. But to Jesus, the little ones were the important work. Instead of pushing the children away, Jesus welcomed and blessed them, casting cultural expectations aside and showing that the smallest and least valued in the world’s eyes are precious in God’s kingdom.
Jesus Used Children As Examples of Faith
Jesus didn’t stop at rebuking his disciples in Mark 10. Instead, he used that moment to teach a valuable lesson about faith.
“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” — Mark 10:15-16, NIV
Jesus explained that if the disciples didn’t receive the kingdom like the children they tried to push away, they wouldn’t enter it. The very things they saw as weaknesses in children — humility, dependence and childlike trust — are the things every believer must embrace to have true faith.
In Matthew 18, Jesus doubled down on the importance of children by reminding his disciples of the status children hold in the kingdom. After the disciples asked who the greatest in the kingdom of heaven was, Jesus responded:
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. — Matthew 18:3-5, NIV
Faith requires us to lay aside our pride. It requires us to depend on God as our Provider for every need. It requires us to trust God with our whole heart, believing he knows best so that we follow his way, not our own. And it’s these things children do best.
In a society where children were often overlooked and considered insignificant, Jesus elevated them as an example of the faith, humility and trust God desires in his people.
Jesus Protected Children & Took Their Well-Being Seriously
In Matthew 18, after explaining to the disciples that the greatest in the kingdom are like the littlest ones, he shared a warning.
“If anyone causes one of these little ones — those who believe in me — to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” — Matthew 18:6, NIV
In Greek, the word used for “to stumble” is skandalizó, which means to trip up, entrap or cause to sin. Sadly, there are many ways children can be entrapped or tripped up. They can be exploited or misled. They can be hurt or neglected. They can be discouraged from following the Father.
But Jesus’ warning was clear: Those who cause children to stumble will face severe judgment. Few Scriptures speak as strongly about God’s concern for the vulnerable as this one.
Jesus takes the well-being of children seriously. He doesn’t just value them; he fiercely protects them. His words remind us that caring for the greatest in the kingdom isn’t optional for those who follow him.
Instead, we’re called to protect them, nurture them and help them grow in faith, not become the very stones they stumble over.
Compassion is serious about child protection. Learn about our child protection standards.
All Children Bear Immeasurable Dignity, Value & Potential
Every Scripture we’ve explored points to this truth: Every child is loved and cherished by God. Because they’re each made in his image, every child bears immeasurable dignity and value in his kingdom.
When children believe this truth, they see themselves as God sees them. Knowing they’re loved by their heavenly Father gives them hope, empowers them to discover their God-given potential and equips them to flourish as the people he created them to be.
Sadly, many of the most vulnerable children, those living in poverty, don’t know this truth. Poverty instead tells children they don’t matter. It tells them that things will never change so they might as well give up, leaving them hopeless and trapped in a cycle of poverty.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. As followers of Jesus, we must respond, doing our part to end children’s suffering — suffering that grieves God’s heart. Each child is a blessing from the Lord. They deserve to be known, loved, protected and empowered to grow into the callings God has for them.
And that includes the precious ones living in poverty.
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” — Psalm 82:3, NIV
See how you can respond to the work God is doing to end child suffering through child sponsorship.
How to Respond: What Caring for Children in Poverty Can Look Like
Over 400 million children live in extreme poverty globally. They must go without nutritious meals, education, medical care, shelter and even safe water — essentials every child needs to thrive.
But in God’s eyes, one child living this way is too many. We’re called to do our part to care for them, and we can do so from right where we are. How? Here are some simple ways you can mirror God’s love for his children, starting today.
Pray for children around the world: Prayer is powerful.As you pray, ask God to protect vulnerable children. Pray that they experience the hope and love of Jesus. And pray for strength, wisdom and provision for those serving children in countries around the world, especially local churches. Not sure how to pray? Become a Compassion prayer partner and pray alongside us for specific needs.
Advocate for vulnerable children: Use your own voice to raise awareness about the challenges children living in poverty face. For example, talk about the effects of child poverty with your family and friends. Or share poverty facts and stats on your social media platforms.
Donate to a cause: Support ministries that help children overcome poverty by donating your time or resources. For example, you can donate to provide safe water or even donate to an initiative supporting moms and babies. You can also volunteer, helping build awareness of the needs of the vulnerable.
Sponsor a child: By sponsoring a child, you equip a local church to faithfully care for a child’s mind, body and soul as they grow into a thriving disciple of Jesus. Your support empowers local believers to share the love of Jesus in word and deed, offering nutrition, medical care, education, disaster relief and more. Through your yes to sponsorship, a child can overcome poverty and become all God created them to be.
Children are a blessing from the Lord, known, loved and cherished by him. And throughout Scripture, Jesus consistently welcomes, protects and values them. When we honor and care for vulnerable children, we follow his example and participate in God’s work of bringing hope where poverty and hardship threaten to steal it.
