Children are the most precious treasure a community can
possess, for in them are the promise and guarantee of the future. They bear the
seeds of the character of future society which is largely shaped by what the
adults constituting the community do or fail to do with respect to children.
They are a trust no community can neglect with impunity. An all-embracing love
of children, the manner of treating them, the quality of the attention shown
them, the spirit of adult behavior toward them— these are all among the vital
aspects of the requisite attitude. Love demands discipline, the courage to
accustom children to hardship, not to indulge their whims or leave them
entirely to their own devices. An atmosphere needs to be maintained in which
children feel that they belong to the community and share in its purpose. They
must lovingly but insistently be guided to live up to Bahá’í standards, to
study and teach the Cause in ways that are suited to their circumstances.
- The
Universal House of Justice (Ridvan 2000 message)
