Kinchin
This is quickly becoming one of my
favorite words this year. It was a word I actually had to look up the
definition. It means "a child." It is such an appropriate word
for me. I have found myself surrounded by children since I was a child. I had
barely graduated from high school when Randy and I were asked to be middle
school youth leaders. Since then, we have raised and homeschooled our own three
children and worked together with children in various ministries within the
church through the years. I have had a constant flow of babysitees through the house, teach at a
homeschool co-op, and work in the nursery at church. One of my favorite
kid-centered ministries is cooking three meals a day for a week over the summer
for our church's youth camp. There is no better way to make friends with
teenagers than by feeding them.
 |
| Doing one of my favorite things for kids with one of my favorite adults. |
In all honesty, there have been
days of working with kids that were harder than others, but there have been
days of pure joy as well.
Although there is some debate
about who actually said it first, there's a quote that said, "With great
power comes great responsibility." While I have never lorded power over
any of the kids in my care, there is a lot of truth that statement. I have
power in how I treat them. I have
power in what I teach them. I have
power in the spiritual seeds I plant.
When I think about it, it's kind
of scary. I wonder what kids have taken away from our relationship. Do they see
more positives than negatives? Have I made a difference in their lives? Have
they see Christ in me?
God has given me a ministry to
children, and I must not take it lightly. Mark 10:14 tells us that when Jesus
saw the disciples turning away children, He said, "Let the little children
come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as
these." Jesus loved them, so I must love them as well.
One of the many things I have
learned from kids over the years is that they just want to be loved and taken
care of. They need to feel they can trust. They have faith in us; a childlike
faith that is, at least so far, unhindered by the bad things of this world.
Even as adults, we can (need to)
have a childlike faith when it comes to Christ. He is there to love us and take
care of our needs. We can trust Him with everything, down to our deepest,
darkest secrets. He never has any intentions to harm us, but to carry us when
we are harmed by the world.
I know I need to work on my
childlike faith. How about you?
Comments
Post a Comment