Why You Do What You Do
Pastor Barbara McCoy
Sabbath School is over! Johnny was pulling the stuffing out of a padded chair, Sarah was talking nonstop, Josh was leading a group of boys in some disruptive behavior. You ask yourself “Why do I teach children? Does it really make a difference? Am I getting through to any of them or am I just wasting my time?”
It’s common after a day like this in Sabbath School or other activities involving children to second-guess yourself, to wonder if you are having any positive impact. And yet, it is good to ask yourself these questions from time to time. They may lead you to have a better understanding of how to more effectively teach children using some new or varied methods and materials.
But, if your questions begin to lead you to discouragement, this is a different story. At this point, it’s important to stop, pray, and ask God to renew your mind and open your eyes anew to the wonder of working with children. During my summer vacation, God opened my eyes with an enlightening experience that renewed and refreshed me in my ministry.
We were visiting my brother Danny and his family and we began sharing some memories of the past. My sister-in-law mentioned that her now 18-year-old daughter had a favorite memory of my husband, Les, reading her a Bible Heroes story when she was 9. My literature evangelist husband and I are usually well stocked with some reading materials.
Sean, my 9-year-old nephew, listening in on the conversation, said, “I want this memory too, now that I am 9! Can Uncle Les do the same thing for me?” When Uncle Les arrived, having been briefed as to Sean’s request, he prepared to read him a story. Strolling out to the garden bench, they sat down and enjoyed some story time together.
Having finished their story time, Sean was elated. He ran into the house and said, “Aunt Barbara, I have a new plan in my life.” “What is it,” I asked excitedly.
He said, “I’m going to get back into this church thing and have my dad start telling me stories about Jesus!” I was as elated as Sean, but knowing that the family was not spiritually grounded, I wondered how my brother was going to take this news.
I went outside and gently said, “So, Danny, has Sean shared with you his new plan?” My brother warmly responded, “yes.” He went on to share how he noticed that Sean had a spiritually sensitive nature, and that as his father he knew he should do something about it, but had not as of yet. He was feeling guilty, but not being much of a churchgoer, he felt he didn’t have the resources to meet Sean’s need.
This opened the door for us to talk about responding to our children and their needs. I was able to share about our online church services and the possibility of their family watching and becoming part of our Web church. My husband and I also asked permission to send them a set of the children’s Bible Story books so they would have some reading material. My brother responded very favorably.
We left my brother’s house, having some other traveling to do on our vacation, but returned a week later. Sean gleefully shared that he and his dad had spent three days sharing stories and talking about Jesus.
I left my brother’s house feeling refreshed, and refocused on why I am a children’s pastor. Yes, children are active. Yes, children are noisy and don’t always pay attention. And yes, they are sometimes disruptive. But children are open and sensitive to stories about Jesus. They need someone who will share Jesus with them, and that someone might just be you.
