Beyond Common Sense

I’ve taught in many settings, but I’ve never had a children’s Sunday school class of my own. I’ve subbed in for other teachers, but this is the first time in my thirty-plus years as a pastor’s wife that I’ve been in this situation. It was not by choice but was dropped into my lap, and, at first, I balked. Wasn’t my plate full enough already? Lord, I can’t do this every week!

However, as always, God knew exactly what I needed! Working with these elementary students has been a great joy. The privilege of opening the wonders of God’s Word to them has been an inspiration. This was especially true during one teaching moment as we worked on our memory verse (Psalm 8:3-4).

We had worked on it for quite a while, but they didn’t want to stop until we reached the goal of completing the inner circle set up by the memory verse app I was using. This doesn’t happen until you have completed two perfect recitations of the verses. I then went on to explain that Psalms often repeat a concept using different words:

“What is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that you visit him?”

Psalm 8:4

We talked about what it means to be mindful. I asked them if anyone was looking forward to something happening that afternoon. One little girl’s face beamed. She was going to see her aunt and baby cousin, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time. They all understood what it was like to be “mindful” of an upcoming event.

“God is always mindful or thinking about you. In fact, He is mindful of everyone on the planet—all 8 billion people! He knows everyone and is mindful of them all.”  Oh, the look on this little girl’s face as she tried to comprehend!

“How can He do that?” she asked in wonder.

This led to a discussion of God’s omnipotence, and the conclusion was that God is truly awesome; my teacher’s heart was overflowing! Oh, the joy of sharing God’s greatness with young minds!

Have you been overwhelmed with God’s greatness lately? We get so bogged down running the race of life that we forget to stop, look, and listen, and the freight train of care and responsibility plows us over.

SOLUTION:

• Stop: Take time with God every day! You know the children’s song: Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow! The opposite is so true as well, isn’t it? Lose your Bible, forget to pray, and you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.

• Look: Do more than glance at the little devotional entry for the day. Dig into God’s Word. Truly look at it—study it as though your life depends upon it, because your spiritual life does.

• Listen: As we come to God, praying for wisdom and strength, He answers through His word. I can’t explain it, but it is so true. It takes a seeking heart that genuinely wants to know God.

• Share: Is there someone you can share your faith with?

“A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold In settings of silver.”

Proverbs 25:11 NKJV

The one you speak to will be blessed, and you will be as well. Don’t let Satan stop you with doubts that you have nothing to say, or they won’t listen, or you’re too busy, too young, too old, too tired, too frustrated, too shy, too proud. Take off the “too-too” and put on the garment of praise and make a difference.

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV)