Things I Love #2

I love it when children are excited to see me.  They just accept me and others for who they are.  They want a hug, a handshake, a high-five, or just anything to make contact and I can tell you sometimes they can hurt you!  Not intentionally, of course, but they can deliver a blow!  I had a young boy once give me a hand slap, but he forgot that he had a pencil in his hand and ended up stabbing me in my palm.  Not good…

I am encouraged by their smiles and simple faith in God and you.  I have the great privilege of sharing a children’s sermon each Sunday to a lively group of about thirty children ranging in age from 2-8.  They sit and wait expectantly for me to share something with them and they love it when I ask them questions.  They love to be involved in the sermon.  They are a blessing to me, their parents, and our church.  I must confess that I am not very good at children’s sermons, but you know what, I have never heard one of them tell me how bad my sermon was or if I could have done better.  They just take me as I am and move on.

I can learn a lot from our children’s sermon time.  Not from what I attempt to teach, but from the lessons they teach me.  What do I learn from them?

1.    I learn to be patient until they get settled in and are ready to listen.  I wish I were as patience with God.  He’ll show me what I need to know when I’m ready to listen.  They remind me to be patient and wait on God.

2.    I learn to enjoy the simple things of life.  A laugh, a smile, a funny story, or just laughing at myself.  Life is too short to be uptight about a lot of things.  I’m not sure sometimes if they’re laughing at my attempts at humor or me.  But you know, it really doesn’t matter, a merry heart does good like a medicine.

3.    I am learning I need to not dwell on what just happened in my life, but to look forward to the next thing God has for me.  When the children’s sermon is over they are ready for children’s church and all that comes with it.  I tend to want to rehash what happened yesterday and fret over that, rather than letting the past be in the past.

I sometimes wonder what our adults think of my ‘Children’s Sermons’.  Thoughts like, that was dumb, or did they even understand what he was talking about?  I’m pretty sure the children probably couldn’t tell their parents when they get home what my sermon was about and the parents more than likely can’t either, but this what I hope they do remember, that their Pastor loves them and that Jesus loves them even more.  That’s really what it’s all about isn’t it?