‘Protecting the girl child’ is the need of the hour in our society. But due to many reasons both their rights and protection are being challenged. Against this background, the response of the Christian church on this subject is discussed here. We could see in the word of God that God through his Son strengthens the weak and the neglected and is concerned for them. The love that is revealed in Jesus Christ is without discrimination. There is no difference between male and female (Gal. 3:28). An attitude to accept and have concern for the girl child should be developed through today’s meditation. Their talents will be useful for the betterment of the society and the blessings of the families. But the challenges to the girl children are ever haunting them. Their life is being challenged from the stage of foetus in the womb of the mother to the tomb at the graveyard. Their life is challenged through foeticide, infanticide, women trafficking, rape, dowry and domestic violence. All through these problems their life is challenged. The social scientist named Ram Ahuja has organized and divided the crimes against the girl child under three heads. 1. Criminal violence, 2. Domestic violence, 3. Social violence.
Atrocities keep increasing year after year in alarming proportions. According to the study undertaken during the past five years, while in the year 2006 there were 1,64,765 cases of crime against girls, which has increased to 2,13,585 by 2010. In the past 2 years there were 23,853 cases registered against atrocities caused to girl children. Out of this, 6870 cases were for rape. The time has come to realize that the security of girl children is at risk in their homes and at the work places. The moral security of the girl children is challenged today due to the growth and widespread accessibility of mobile phones, internet and other social media. At this point, we have to meditate upon the concern for girl children in the light of the Bible.
1. Job the just man: The rights of the girl children protected (Job. 42:10-17)
The history of Job, who has gone through great difficulty, is famous. Finally God blessed Job with a double share. He received back what all he has lost (Job. 42:10). This session ends with (Job. 42:15) the remark that he gave share to his daughters like his sons. The rights of the girl children are not denied rather protected here. We find the concern that a girl child should be accepted in the family.
2. A girl exploited being Liberated (Acts 16:16-18)
We find here a girl, who was exploited by some in the way of she being used for fortune – telling. She had been exploited by many. But she was liberated from that racket by the apostles. Even today, in the ‘diaconia’ ministry of the church, such liberative actions are a must. The church should be concerned in its mission to speak for the exploited and the weak thereby bringing them back to the regular stream of human life.
3. A mother’s request: A girl being liberated (Matt. 15:21-28).
The Canaanite women came to Jesus with a request for her daughter. On her persistent compulsion Jesus healed that child. The parents should bring their children and submit them in the hands of God. The gospels and the Acts have recorded of weak and dead girl children whose parents have come to Jesus with concern for their own children (Mk. 5:21-24, 35-43; Acts 9:36-43). The security of the girl children should be made possible primarily in the families. And the parents are more responsible to do this. Their concern and care should reach to the areas of education, friendship and other needs of their children. St. Paul admonishes as follows. “… Do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). According to the Indian culture after marriage, the girl is being sent to another home. She is haunted even from her childhood that she is a stranger in her own house and she will be sent to another home which she has never seen nor acquainted with. When she reaches the new home, she is considered there as ‘one who has come in’ from another home. The girl needs space here for herself. This belongingness should start from her own home, because the divine love that is revealed in Jesus Christ is her inheritance also. Just as Jesus has held the hand of the girl and revived her (Mk. 5:41) and asked to give her something to eat (Mk. 5:43) Even today the Lord is holding the girl, who is tired of many reasons and exploited, with His loving hand to revive them and give new life. Moreover, the Lord reminds us to make secure the life of the girl child. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the message of freedom, peace and protection. The gospel proclaims liberation to the society, which is under suppression. Here, we should remember this special invaluable character of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.