It’s difficult for people who are products of Western civilization to comprehend the different view of the value of life held by many in our world.

An article today described a terrible practice in India, home to more than 1.2 billion human beings. Like many less developed nations, male children are often preferred to female offspring. Sons are viewed as a blessing and daughters (primarily due to dowries, in the case of India) are less welcome.

And because of that sad fact, it has become common for some families to name their innocent daughters Nakusha, which sounds rather pleasant, but means “unwanted.” It would be difficult to imagine an uglier name.

Recently a movement has arisen to rename girls cursed by their parents with this crippling birthright. Yesterday, in fact, just such a renaming ceremony was conducted in Satara District. The girls were allowed to choose their own name to replace the vile one that had shadowed their lives up to this point.

While there are millions of Christians in India, they have hardly made an impact on the Hindu worldview that dominates the land. It is inconceivable that in a Christian land (i.e. one rooted in the biblical documents and principles like most nations in the West), that children would be named “Unwanted.”

On the contrary, children are esteemed in the Christian context. Listen to these gracious words of Jesus the Christ:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Let us say a prayer for each little girl and boy—in every land around the globe—who finds themselves unwanted by their family. And let’s support worthwhile agencies that work to rescue them.

Because every child is precious to God.

Addendum:

…and every child is precious to all of those who already know God as their Father, as well.