On your phone, on the internet, and on television, you can constantly check how the stock market is doing, along with getting analysis about the prospects for a bull or a bear market. As someone interested in how my retirement investments are doing, I check on them regularly. However, there are other things we affirm as having value that are harder to measure regarding how they are doing.
This last Sunday, Frank preached about the story of Abraham and Isaac, where Abraham was close to sacrificing his child. Those of us who are parents can’t imagine doing that. In fact, most of us have lovingly made other kinds of sacrifices for the well-being of our own children. And yet, we might not show that we value other children that God loves by checking to see how they are doing and making adjustments for their benefit.
Each year about this time, the Annie E. Casey Foundation releases assessment information on how our nation’s children and youth are doing regarding educational, economic, social, and health outcomes. Their ‘Kids Count’ 2024 annual report has national and state measurements that show where there are improvements and where there are growing challenges that impact the lives of young people. The states in the northeastern part of the country tend to rank pretty high compared to other states, but among the 50 states, Pennsylvania only ranks 23rd on 16 key indicators for the well-being of children and youth. Some of the areas of concern in our state are repercussions from the pandemic: a decrease in the percentage of young children who are in preschool, declines in reading and math scores, and higher death rates for children and teens. Firearm-related deaths are the leading cause of death among teens. There are slightly higher rates for low birth weight babies. There have been some improvements over recent years, with slightly lower child poverty rates and teen births. If you want to check out the information for yourself, here is a link: Interactive 2024 Data Book - The Annie E. Casey Foundation - The Annie E. Casey Foundation (aecf.org)
Occasionally, I will hear someone advocating for policies that would improve the lives of children who say, “We need to do more for children; they are our future.” That statement is true, but it sounds pretty self-centered. The policies and investments we adults put toward all children (not just those in our own families) determine much regarding their present and future well-being. Jesus certainly loved and valued all children. One of the ways we can follow his lead is by at least being aware of and responsive to what affects the overall well-being of those who are so vulnerable in our midst.
