Twenty seven sets of little eyes stared in wonder at me. I was confessing. I was testifying. I was telling them a deliciously wicked story about a little girl who stole candy and then used it to vandalize a car. They were consuming my words with amazement, perhaps shocked that anyone had ever done something so naughty- much less their teacher! Could it be that evil lurks in every heart unless submitted to Jesus? “Yes!”, I tell them. We are all in need of a Savior. We all need to be forgiven, set free from the power of sin and transformed by the power of God.
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
Bringing the message of Jesus to children is something, I believe, every healthy Christian ought to do. Jesus gave us many commands that back up my belief. Here are two of them:
Jesus commanded us to love others more than ourselves. Talk to any mom in town and you will know, there is nothing children need more than for you to love them more than yourself. Serve children with love, become like Jesus. Easy peasy! Plus, when did Sunday morning worship services become a place of only receiving ministry? That is so contrary to every central message of Christianity! Caring for the children of others so that they can worship is a good way to keep your heart submitted to service. It also makes you grateful for the people who serve the weeks you are praising Jesus with the big folks.
Jesus commanded us make disciples. Every Sunday morning, unsaved children who may otherwise never hear about Jesus are dropped off and aren’t allowed to leave. This is every evangelist’s dream: an audience who has to stay until the altar call! If we make use of this valuable time, their lives will be affected forever, even into future generations. Children’s ministry is incredibly strategic.
My life is burnt toast. God made a lovely bit of bread, and sin charred it. Then by a resurrection miracle, the death of Jesus turned burnt toast into the most delicious dish ever known: a meal of grace. Children understand that. The kingdom of God is theirs because they don’t shy away from the message of grace, they savor it. They are quick to love, quick to trust and quick to forgive. Tell them God made them for a purpose and they will believe you. Tell them Whitney Houston was right. They are the future. They are our future. Let them come to Jesus. He is calling on us to make the way.
So, sign up to teach children on a Sunday morning. Become a mentor in a school near you. Love your children, nieces, nephews. Let kindness rule your heart when your path crosses that of a child’s. You never know, you may find your greatest purpose fulfilled when you answer that call. You were a born for a purpose too, you know….
