Elephants realize how how important and difficult it is to raise their offspring. That's why they travel together in herds, working as a team to protect and help each other.

Adolescent female elephants assist moms in caring for their offspring by watching over the youngsters. As a result, moms have additional help with their children and younger elephants learn parenting skills under the watchful eye of an experienced mother.

May is National Foster Care Month, and our theme is “It takes a village. Your village.” Community and support are crucial in raising a child. Our experiences, thoughts, biases and lives are shaped in part by our interaction with others. Where children are loved, nurtured and encouraged, they thrive, growing toward their full God-given potential.

More than 31,000 Texas children are in foster homes. Though many of these moms and dads may not be biologically connected to these children, their hearts couldn’t be closer. Many of the parents who care for these children do so as a result of a call they sense from God. They see Christ commanding his followers to welcome children with open arms. As a result, children who have suffered unspeakable trauma recover and thrive.

What if all us felt a sense of responsibility for every child around us? Life just might be better for each of them. And that’s something an elephant would never forget.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. –Matthew 18:1-5

Deeper reflection:

• How has living in community with others blessed you?
• Who were the strongest influences on you as a child?
• Why were they influential?

Next step:

• Roughly 50-60 percent of foster parents stop serving during their first year as a result of isolation and lack of support. Visit buckner.org/nationalfostercaremonth for ways you can strengthen foster parents.