“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus says in Matthew 19. This short passage is sandwiched between Jesus clarifying when it is appropriate to divorce, and a story about the rich young man who passionately wants to do what is required to enter the Kingdom, yet is not willing to give up his worldly passions to do so. I see these stories as ditches on either side of raising a child. When children grow up with married parents, children have a solid foundation that lasts their entire lives. Additionally, when children have a stable home, with loving parents, they will more likely find greater security in themselves, retain their faith, and be less inclined to fall for the trappings of the secular world. I believe the church has a role and responsibility in shaping these influences. Today, roughly one in three children will grow up without both parents in the home. Children of single-parent homes, on average, perform at lower levels academically, have higher incidences of depression, are more likely to have behavior problems, earn less over their lifetime, and are more likely to end up in jail. Jesus knows this. He tackles the issue head-on, rejecting the flippant treatment of marriage, and what was the first-century equivalent of no-fault divorce. "Let the children come to me." He says, calling to Him the fruit of a marriage. Jesus emphasizes that marriage is a necessary component of a child's upbringing, teaching children about relationships, sacrifice, compassion, and love in action. Given the placement of this passage, it seems clear that Jesus wants husbands and wives to recognize that their choices can hinder their children's development, and their walk with The Lord. What we see with the Rich Young Man story is that our affections are shaped by our culture, and we can become idolatrous and lose sight of what we are truly aiming for. This man, while he attests that he has followed all of the commands, lacks the heart behind it. He seems to have been driven, diligent, and studious, yet when it came to putting his money where his mouth was, he took his money with him. We see that while we may teach our children diligently, as instructed in Deuteronomy 6, we may miss the point altogether if we don't give them Jesus. I believe the verses about children are intentionally placed right there to demonstrate the influence the world has on growing minds. In my previous experience as a high school teacher, as a current volunteer in our church kids ministries, and now as a seminary student intending to devote myself to ministry, I see the influence family life has on children. A great preacher once said, "Family altars alter families," which has stuck with me ever since. It guides me as I raise my two daughters, and it has me pause and make more intentional choices when I work with students at church. The church has a role to play in shaping our children's future. I endeavor to build programs that help give parents resources to create happy, lasting marriages, help them in their parenting by using our Heavenly Father as an example, and encourage parents to teach their children who Jesus is. Additionally, I would like to develop kid's programs that provide deeper and more meaningful ways of engaging children at all stages, helping them develop their relationship with Christ, and guiding them through scripture in ways that they can use throughout their lives, and hopefully lead more to Christ.