Children

My passion for many years has been children.   As a high school student I didn’t really like to attend Sunday school with the teens but I loved helping a teacher who taught the little ones.  It was a joy for me to go and help teach Sunday school and I learned so much in that process.  When my husband and I were first married we were recruited to teach the two and three year olds in Sunday school; hat was an experience and about caused me to never want to have children.  They were a lot of fun so long as one of them didn’t start to cry.  If one started to cry the others thought that was their cue to start crying and we would have a mess on our hands.  I remember one day a little girl came in dressed really funny and her mother told us that she had decided to dress herself that morning and it was easier to let her do it than to fight it.  Hey, at least she made it to Sunday school.  I don’t know where a lot of those children are today but I do know of one who is grown and has a small child of her own.  She has gone through a lot in her life but because she had faithful parents who taught her at home and brought her to Sunday school every Sunday, she developed a foundation in Christ which she built upon in later years.  Without Christ, her life would have turned out very differently. 

I taught Sunday school and mid-week classes for years and then became a part of the Christian Education board as the mid-week director.  Later on I was promoted to the Christian Education Director and later became a member of the church conference Christian Education commission.  I became the Director of that commission as well.  The sad thing is that in those positions I fought as hard as I could to maintain a strong board and commission in order to promote the education of our children in the area of Christian growth.  Over the years I have sensed an apathy regarding the children in some churches.  I fought hard against that apathy because  of verses found in Mark 9 and 10.  I would like to look at those verses today.  Mark 9:36 – 37 “He took a little child and had him stand among them.  Taking him in His arms, He said, to them, (37)Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”   In verse 42 He goes on to say, And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better fro him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. 

Mark 10:13-16  “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  (14) When Jesus saw this, He was indignant.  He said to them, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  (15) I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (16) And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.”

I have also been involved in the secular education system and have heard all the excuses for why our children do not learn.  One that comes up a lot is the one about their parents.  The parents don’t, won’t, or can’t . . . are very common in that setting.  The same is true for the church, parents are the ones that get all the blame.  Yes, parents should but when they don’t what is our response.  We can’t change a parent so what can we do?  The parents in the scripture brought their children to Jesus and the disciples tried to send them away but what do we do we when the parents don’t bring their children?  Do we shrug our shoulders and say that it is their choice?  Do we reach out to the parents?  Do we reach out to the children? 

Children, they are a precious gift from God and we need to welcome them into our Sunday school rooms, our church settings, into our homes, and into our lives.  Children display a faith that goes beyond that of an adult.  They believe in what we tell them.  They believe in the seen and the unseen.   What are we telling them today?  Is our life demonstrating the faith of a little child?  Are we worrying about the things of this life rather than trusting on God to carry us through?  Do we doubt?  All of these things our children are watching.  They keep watch at how we handle conflict, pain, and suffering. 

If we do not teach our children and value their presence, they will become the children of the end times who are left to go through the pain that we just looked at in Revelation.  We need to remember our children both little ones and big ones, those who have come to the faith in Jesus Christ.  We need to grow them up in the Lord so that they may feast on solid food and have a firm foundation in Jesus Christ our Lord.

This reminds me of a song:

“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.  Red, brown, yellow, black, and white they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

May you find ways to teach the children to seek Him with all their hearts as you seek Him today.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila