Day 14: Children
An adult-child search

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3 NRSV).

My children were always excited to go up front for children’s church. One Sunday Warren answered a question, the congregation laughed, and I saw Warren’s face fall because he had answered seriously from his unhindered innocent relationship with God and the world. So, why do we laugh at the answers that children give during children’s sermons? I think that it is because the children’s answers remind us of what it is like to approach our faith as a child, unburdened by the realities of adult life that are constantly with us, the worry, disappointment and doubts that we all face. Their answers remind us the unhindered faith that we had when we were children, and we respond with appreciative laughter.

Here are some things our children want you to know about how they approach Bible study and faith:
*Sometimes we go outside and pray
*We talk during the children’s sermon and sometimes people laugh
*We sit on the floor
*We have fun and play while we are learning
*We go to camp and learn about God together
*Miss Missy makes the children’s sermon fun
*We look at Bible stories and the people in them – adults study topics and
themes
*At Christmas God provides good things

So as we seek renewal and revival let us approach God with the knowledge and maturity of an adult, but with the heart of a child remembering that at Christmas, and every day, God provides good things.
AND please watch the children’s faces during the children’s sermon. If you see a child who thinks that the adults think his or her answer is silly, let him or her know what their answer means to you.