"You can tell the character of a person by how they treat animals and children." (Donald C. Weeks) Vacation Bible School has been a riot this year...exhausting, yes...but still a riot. We have great energetic leaders to go with a host of fun-loving energetic kids. Over the years our church has used VBS as an opportune time to reach out to the community and introduce neighborhood children to Jesus. But every year, after I reluctantly agree to be involved: I realize the adults of our church, with myself included, need VBS too. Young children and kids have a way of expressing & relishing the wonder of life that adults have learned to "tune-out" over the years. Just watching them dance, sing and eat pudding makes you forget about bills for a couple of hours, and smile at simple things! Jesus makes sense to kids; whereas Jesus has become mostly a nuisance to adults. We are too busy, too important, too serious to let him interrupt our day. Why are we so serious? Because we think we need to impress those we work with, or keep up with the neighbors we live next to so they won't look down on us. I think many, many adults secretly believe that, "God will get mad at me if I smile or enjoy the day...he wants me to get busy being busy!" (Have you ever studied the topic of Sabbath Rest?) Kids don't care if they impress you - - just watching them flip around at VBS, doing cartwheels in the grass and wearing their parents size XL T-shirts as a toga proves my point. They somehow know that God likes it when they enjoy the world he made. It really is O.k. to smile and laugh - - most adults seem to have forgotten that. Here are three things I personally have been reminded of from teaching the kids this year: (1) The Christian Story is better than a Fairy Tale: we have been promised, by God himself, that we will be reigning on the world's throne with Jesus in heaven. One kid asked me, "You mean, I get to wear a crown too?" Yes! Yes! A thousands times, YES! I am not sure if most adults in the church believe this, but it's true! (2) Jesus can do anything, even overcome my problems: Kids get this. They really know that life is too big for them to handle on their own. But mature and capable adults don't think they need God to handle their problems: "I can take care of things myself!" I don't know about you, but I can't. (3) Singing loud and laughing pleases God: Why did God make the world? To enjoy or grump around in? If you ask a kid that, they will say enjoy every time. Adults however, grump! Have you ever really watched most adults? They grump: Grump while driving the car, grump while getting ready for work, grump while watching the news, and they even grump walking out of "Logan's Steakhouse" if their steak was not cooked right! Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. My bones are tired from jumping this week, in fact every year my body hurts more; but I never regret what I was able to learn from the kids. That makes it all worth it!
3 Comments
Kristy
7/30/2014 03:48:54 am
AMEN!! Every year I am excited for VBS, not only because I get to tell kids about Jesus, but because I know they are going to teach me things I didn't know and remind about things I so easily forget.
Reply
Julie
7/30/2014 03:56:20 am
How true, about the kids, adults, our GREAT GOD, and Logan's too!! I have had such a great time this week, even with the aching legs. I was so scared about being a part of this and wondering if I would mess up, say something wrong, or what adults would be judging me. But, I have had the time of my life. All of those eager kids wanting to see you be crazy and explain the most wonderful story I have ever had the honor of telling. Can't wait to see what the rest of the week brings and how many kids we are bring to our Great Lord!!
Reply
Christopher Weeks
7/30/2014 04:12:56 am
Thanks for the great comments!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
August 2018
|