OUR Job

ready for a Bible study? umm...
no...we're watching Curious George

I am realizing afresh that it is OUR job to teach OUR kids about:
God
Salvation through Christ
His grace
His love
His ways...

NOT the church's responsibility to teach my children. Mine. It's my responsibility. I have depended entirely too much on Bible class at church, our wonderful preacher, the songs we sing, Christian radio, VBS, etc... I have been so intent on keeping the kids busy, that when I do try to teach them something important, it gets lost amidst all the activities and business around them. This did not concern me too much until I began to watch their activities with their Bible classes. I realize it is a growing trend throughout the Christian community. We are competing with so much other stuff: radio, tv, ipod, Nintendo (or other games), go-carts, sports (pick one), movies...everything in our world is so focused on entertaining us, keeping our eyes and bodies busy, our minds focused on getting things done and enjoying the things that don't last. Result: our hearts and minds cannot see the beautiful and wonderful things God has given us that are eternal. We (probably, mostly me) as Christians often fall into the same pattern when teaching our children about God:

"here's a fun show about playing too many videos...let's watch...OK, everyone, let's watch this pantomime/play...look, there's someone pretending to trip and someone else pretending to help them up...free play for a few minutes...anyone know their memory verse?...time for some games...let's have sack races!!!...Oh, yeah, and Jesus died to save us and now we can have life forever, too!...Craft time: here are some stickers...here is the glue...here is a cardboard box...let's decorate it....now everyone come over here for a game of Christian checkers...here is your snack...have some juice...let's decorate our juice cups!!!...here are the puzzles...here's a great video game where you can choose to be Paul or one of the apostles...the goal is to heal as many people as possible before your time is up...everyone pick up your trash...clean up the tables...crayons here, toys there, Bibles on the shelf...whew!! Let's play Simon says for the next few minutes---er---I mean, Jesus says!!"

Keep things fast paced, keep things going, going, going. The kids can't sit still, so let's make sure there is no reason for them to. Happens in Bible class...and sadly, in my home, too. Did you hear the Bible lesson in there? Well...neither did my kids. They played a video game, watched a play that didn't really connect with the video they saw, and decorated boxes and juice cups. "What did you learn," I ask. "Nothing," they say. "But when that guy tripped, boy was it funny!!! You should have seen the face he made and heard him groan...and look at my box! I'm gonna put dinosaurs in it later or my sea shells!"

I am not complaining about my church or yours...but trying to focus my eyes and heart again on what mission God gave me. I am on my mission field everyday and forget so often what that mission is and what God desires me to do. And please do not think that I think activities and games are bad when working with kids. My kids know that I need help in that area...I have a hard time remembering HOW to play and am always thankful when someone has planned an activity and I can use that to teach my children about the Lord. I repeat: I need BIG HELP in that area and am always thankful to get it. I am just wanting to encourage any of you who have children or work with children to not get so busy doing things that His message gets lost or seems disconnected and then doesn't make sense to the children. I also want your admonishments when you see me stray from what is really important. Fortunately and thankfully, I serve a gracious God who has not fired me yet from this job. So, to you (though you may not need it) and for myself as well...let's keep up the GOOD WORK!!!