Every child comes with the message that God is not yet

"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man." — With these words, Rabindranath Tagore speaks to the profound truth that every new life is a testament to the hope and enduring faith that the Divine has in the potential of humanity. In a world often filled with strife, suffering, and brokenness, the birth of a child is a powerful reminder that God continues to believe in us — in our ability to change, grow, and ultimately, transform the world for good. Each new life, innocent and pure, is a message of divine hope, signaling that, despite our flaws and failures, God has not given up on us.

The ancients believed that the birth of a child was one of the most significant events in the natural world. For the Greek philosophers, the creation of life was not only a biological miracle but a manifestation of the Divine order. Plato, in his writings, spoke of life and birth as being deeply intertwined with the realm of the forms — the perfect, eternal ideas that reflect God’s plan. To bring a child into the world was to bring a piece of the Divine into the earthly realm, a reflection of the perfect good that exists beyond the physical world. For Plato and the ancients, each child was not just a continuation of the human race, but a small spark of the eternal, an opportunity for humanity to reflect the Divine light once again.

In the biblical tradition, the birth of a child is also seen as a symbol of hope and new beginnings. From the birth of Isaac, a child born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, to the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, children represent the promise of God’s love and the renewal of the world. In the story of Noah, the birth of Shem, Ham, and Japheth signified a new generation that would carry forward the mission of reconciliation between humanity and the Divine after the flood. Similarly, in the New Testament, the birth of Jesus is the ultimate symbol of hope — God’s faith in mankind, His willingness to become part of creation, and His unyielding love for humanity despite its failings. Through the birth of Jesus, God’s message was clear: He had not given up on mankind.

Consider the life of Mahatma Gandhi, whose mother, Pritibai, believed deeply in the transformative power of children. Gandhi’s early life was marked by the spiritual teachings his mother instilled in him — lessons of compassion, truth, and nonviolence. Gandhi himself later became the beacon of hope for an entire nation, leading the Indian independence movement with a message of peace and love. His own journey exemplified Tagore’s sentiment: that children are the bearers of hope and that through them, God's faith in humanity is renewed. Gandhi’s story, from his humble beginnings as a child raised in a deeply spiritual family, is a testament to the power of youth to carry the Divine message forward and to inspire change in the world.

Tagore’s words also speak to the sacredness of childhood. In many ancient cultures, children were considered to be the purest form of humanity, untainted by the complexities and corruptions of the adult world. The ancient Egyptians, for instance, believed that children were direct representatives of the gods, and their innocence was a reflection of the Divine. In Indian culture, the child is seen as a manifestation of Divine energy, a being whose potential is unlimited and whose arrival into the world renews the promise of God's faith in the human race. Each child’s potential is limitless, and through them, the Divine expresses a belief that no matter the challenges of the world, the future can still be filled with hope.

The lesson in Tagore’s words is clear: the arrival of every child reminds us that God has not given up on us. Every child represents possibility, renewal, and divine trust in the ability of humanity to evolve, grow, and ultimately transform the world. In a time when it can be easy to lose sight of the goodness in life, we are reminded by each child that hope is never truly lost. The birth of every child is a call to faith in the future, a reminder that the world is still filled with the Divine spark, waiting to unfold and manifest in new ways.

In our own lives, we must take this lesson to heart. Let us see each child not only as an individual but as a symbol of divine hope. Whether in our families, communities, or in the broader world, we are called to support the growth and flourishing of the younger generation, guiding them toward lives of purpose and service. By investing in the future through the nurturing of children, we renew our own sense of faith and hope, trusting that through them, God’s love will continue to move in the world. Every moment spent with children is a reminder that God is still at work, still believing in the potential of humanity, still sending forth His Divine message through the innocence of youth.