Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 7612 Plough Quarterly • Winter 2015 conform. Worse, these children are prematurely burdened with adult sexuality. So many features of our “advanced civili­ zation” seem bent on destroying the spirit of childhood. Be it materialism, over-dependence on prescription drugs, standardized testing, too much technology, or the debased sensationalism that passes for entertain­ ment, all of it harms children. I believe that at birth, all children bear the stamp of their Creator. Their purity and inno- cence is a great gift. Once it has been lost, it cannot be replaced. All the more, it must be guarded as a treasure which no one has a right to destroy. Our response upon encountering a child must be nothing less than reverence. Perhaps because the word sounds old-­ fashioned, its true meaning has been blurred. Reverence is more than just love. It includes an appreciation for the qualities children possess (and which we ourselves have lost), a readiness to rediscover their value, and the humility to learn from them. Reverence is also an attitude of deep respect, as expressed by the following words of my grandfather Eberhard Arnold, a theologian and educator: “It is children who lead us to the truth. We are not worthy to educate even one of them. Our lips are unclean; our dedication is not wholehearted. Our truthfulness is partial; our love divided. Our kindness is not without motives. We ourselves are not yet free of love- lessness, possessiveness, and selfishness. Only sages and saints – only those who stand as chil- dren before God – are really fit to live and work with children.”3 Understanding reverence can change our perception of the world and our task in it. This simple word can help us keep our own lives clear of entangle- ments that may try to drag us down. With the knowledge that a young audience is watching our every move, we can be models of integrity and respect. We can dress in a manner that expresses our inner worth, instead of degrading it. Instead of bombarding young children with explicit information about sexu- ality and reproduction, we can let them grow at their own pace into an understanding of what it means to be a human being, and answer ques- tions honestly and simply as they arise. We can model healthy relationships. I learned the importance of this from my own parents, who could disagree with each other quite openly, but would end the debate with a laugh and a hug. I saw that my father was not ashamed to show tenderness and that my mother’s gentle guidance was backed up with enormous courage. Their marriage, built on faithfulness and respect, was an example to all who knew them. Once we have reverence for every life, we will also have compassion, and teach others its Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Margot Berard Once we have reverence for every life, we will also have compassion, and teach others its value. From WikiArt (public domain)