And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
– Deuteronomy 6:7
I used to be heavily involved in the children’s ministry at church. But the coronavirus has changed a lot of that. In the quiet of quarantine, I began to realize that I had filled my plate up with too much. And it became clear God wanted me to focus my time and attention on what He’s called me to do and not what I want to do.
So when my church began its Wednesday night program again, I decided not to teach this year.
I have to admit, it’s a bit strange not teaching my class. I had considered myself a teacher for so long that now I don’t know quite what to think about my lack of involvement.
But one day while I was outside with my nieces, I realized something.
I’m still involved in the children’s ministry.
You see, I’m with my nieces about eight hours a day, five days a week. That’s 40 hours filled with opportunities to teach them about Christ. 40 hours to teach them His statutes. 40 hours to make an impression.
And you know what? I think it may be my most important job yet.
Just because I don’t have a classroom at church and lessons prepared every week doesn’t mean I’m not teaching. I’m just teaching in a different setting and in a different way.
And so is every parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, babysitter, etc. Because children’s ministry isn’t just about Bible stories and cute songs. It’s about instilling values and planting seeds. About shaping minds and opening hearts.
About giving more love than you’re given.
That’s what Christ did. In His own ministry on Earth, He listened to people, told stories, taught God’s statutes, and held people accountable. He encouraged them to examine themselves. But most importantly, He loved them. And that wasn’t limited to one hour a week.
It’s still not limited.
If we follow His example, it’s easy to see that children’s ministry, like any other ministry, isn’t just for church. It’s for everyday life.
And if you have children in your life, then you have a very important part to play.
