03 May Thanking God for Your Children
By Peggy Vaida
I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, so I never got the chance to learn about Jesus with other children in Sunday school. I see this as a loss because in Matthew 18:3 Jesus tells us, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” So how was I to learn to come to Jesus like a child? Sunday school, as an adult, is still effective! I have learned a lot from the kids that I’ve had the pleasure to minister to and I have loved every minute of it. Here are some of the things I’ve learned…
Kids are authentic. Jesus is disgusted by a lukewarm faith and I’m here to tell you that kids don’t respond to it either. Jesus says in Revelation 3:16, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Showing up for these kids in an “on fire for God” way keeps me in good practice to never grow stale in my love for Jesus.
Kids are humbling. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” Kids understand this, in a very literal sense. They consistently want to hold my hand or sit near me. Their desire to be close to me shows me how much I truly need to be close with Jesus and the church.
Kids are honest. They are honest about their sinful nature which is usually hilarious but also reminds me how sinful I am by nature. We are told in James 5:16 to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” God doesn’t want me to hide my sinfulness, he wants me to be accountable so that I continue to grow in holiness by repentance.
Kids will grow your fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are all required in abundance when I’m outnumbered by 6-year-olds. They truly show me that these qualities belong to the Lord and He uses them to grow me on a daily basis. I require much grace and mercy and I am grateful for any opportunity to extend some of that goodness to others outside myself.
Kids are loveable. What is it about them that makes them so easy to love? Psalm 127:3 says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Your children may be a gift to you from God, but they are also a gift to me. They allow me to practice pouring out the love of Jesus onto others.
Kids are dependant. I love tying their shoes. Please parents, no more velcro! Jesus said to His disciples in John 13:14, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” I feel so loved by Jesus when I have the opportunity to get down on my knees and be a servant to his beloved children by tying their shoes.
This is not a conclusive list of what I’ve learned in Kids ministry, but I invite you to join us so you can find out more for yourself. There are many ways to serve at church and I’m sure they’re all fulfilling to some degree but I can’t imagine anything being more of a blessing than ministering to children in the name of Jesus, as Mark 9:37 states, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Thank you, Father, for all the children at Redemption. I pray that you are keeping them all close to you in this time of unrest, growing them in faith and knowledge of God. Please fill them with the Spirit so they will always be pointed to Jesus and comforted by Him. I long for the day when I can see them again face to face. Thank you for allowing me a small part in their lives, I am forever grateful for your kindness. In the name of your holy Son whom I love, Jesus. Amen
