Babies. There is not one we do not want to embrace, to coddle, to make laugh.   There is something about babies and young children that immediately heightens our sense of nurture. Children are to be loved unconditionally! Children are to be given tools for success by attentive guardians! Children are to have every mishap shaped into a learning opportunity. We celebrate the importance of laying a foundation for nurturing children into maturity. This is a value our whole proverbial village shares.

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:26) reminds us that we are all children of God through Christ. God’s Word clearly commands us to love the Lord from the depths of our being, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, as He loved us, as His children. This is the greatest commandment ever given to humanity! It is the greatest advice on how to support and expand God’s Kingdom here on earth! Obedience to this command gave the world Beth Moore, Mother Teresa, Evangeline Booth. These modern day heroes of faith had entire villages full of family, friends, and even strangers who helped them navigate their life experiences in a way that inspired them to be the virtuous women God intended. They had countless members of the body of Christ who nurtured them.

It is a sweet balancing act, this nurture. It emerges between one sharing experiences and another being open to learn in a spirit of love, grace, and patience.   Nurture starts with recognizing a person’s potential and recognizing our ability to help that person achieve that potential. Through our own conversion, time and maturity, God gives us the capacity to make a difference. This creates an exciting opportunity for growth in the family of God! Think about those who are a part of our everyday lives – co-workers, neighbors, and members of our congregations. Take advantage of opportunities to teach and pass along something of value. It will not always be easy. Nurture will involve dirty diaper moments along the way, but serving one another is right at the center of God’s heart.

Jesus spent his time doing just this, especially with his disciples. He saw them and immediately helped them grow by planting seeds in good soil, with the water of life, the perfect amount of light, and pruning when necessary. The results sprouted rapidly around their world with the Gospel of truth after the Resurrection. It is no wonder why God wants us to develop those same relationships with one another.

What would homes, churches, the world looked like if our immediate heart response to one another was to immediately see children? If our initial reaction to one another was this unconditional, selfless, love driving us to do what ever we could in our power to better one another? Embrace growing by helping others grow. Embrace doing what God is doing for us even now. Embrace nurture.

Sabrina Borum is the Creative Arts Director for the Florida Division, where she coordinates theatre and dance ministry outreach. Sabrina completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts, magna cum laude, in Theatre Education from East Carolina University. She began her arts ministry at the age of eight in the Rocky Mount, NC corps.  As a young soldier, she took advantage of every performance and teaching opportunity – dance solos, band, musicals and instructing others in creative arts (starting at 12 years old). Sabrina studied music performance at Asbury University for two years. There she toured with the Salvation Army Student Fellowship songsters and band as a euphonium player, as well as the concert choir. Before coming to Florida, she worked as the Creative Arts Director in the Carolinas’ Division.