Read 

Today I woke up and combed my hair with a fork, blew my nose on sandpaper, put the bread in my shoes to make toast, poured milk in my car to make it run, and put the butter in the oven to keep it cold. “Am I crazy?” you say. Of course not. I just didn’t use things for what they were created. 

Reflect 

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) 

Respond 

Everything has a purpose. Milk can’t make your car go any more than an oven can keep your butter cold. You may be able to halfway comb your hair with a fork, but that’s not its purpose. As a believer God has some purposes for your life as well: evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, service, and worship. Did you know that you will never truly be fulfilled as a Christian until you are operating in all five of these areas? Also, how can you pass along to your students what isn’t already present in your own life? Today do you feel like anything is lacking in your life or your walk with Christ? 

Your thoughts?

Remember 

God had plans for your life before you were born. Walk in them. 

Why does the children’ s ministry exist? 

(a) To babysit so parents can be ministered to? (Absolutely not!)

(b) To help children get their annual supply of cookies and kool-aid? (No, not never!) 

(c) To help new volunteers understand why some animals eat their young? (Of course not, although…)

(d) To reach and teach children and families with the Good News of Jesus Christ. (This is, has been, and always will be our purpose. Everything we do is measured against this aim.) 

Read 

A young couple had just taken home their firstborn child. The dad, named Jeff, had taken a few days off work to help around the house. One afternoon the wife walked by the nursery and saw him standing over the crib. There was a huge smile on his face. The window was open and a gentle breeze was blowing in. It was a picture-perfect sight. Quietly she walked over and put her arm around him. 

“What are you thinking,” she asked. 

“It’s amazing,” he said. “It’s a miracle. It a wonder that anyone can build a crib like this for $49.95.” 1

In this story (which is true) the dad was so caught up in the package that he was missing the true miracle inside. Sometimes we too get so caught up in the “package” of life or ministry that we overlook what really matters. 

Reflect 

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord’ s word, seated at His feet. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him, and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving along? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” 

(Luke 10: 38-42) 

Respond 

The priority of a children’s ministry volunteer is first and foremost to walk with Jesus daily. What you lead, and do, and teach in ministry comes as an overflow of your own relationship with Christ. On a scale of 1 to 10, how closely are you walking with Jesus? Do you have a daily time set aside just for Him? What is the most important thing in your life? And be careful not to get so caught up in the “package” of life, that you forget about the one thing that really matters in life—which is you and Jesus. 

Also, be sure to remember that the most important thing in your classroom this week is not your preparation, not your teaching plans—the most important thing in your classroom is that child standing in front of you. Don’t get so caught up in the “package” of ministry that you forget what really matters—which is Jesus and your students. 

Your thoughts?

Remember 

As a children’s ministry leader God has not called you to cover lessons, but to connect the truth of the Gospel with kids. 

1Craig Jutilla in a message “Making a Difference,” 2002.

Read 

I saw him in the church building for the first time on Wednesday. He was in his mid- 70’s with thinning silver hair and a neat brown suit. 

Many times in the past I had invited him to come. Several other Christian friends had talked to him about the Lord and had tried to share the Good News with him. He was a well-respected, honest man with so many characteristics a Christian should have, but he never “put on Christ,” nor entered the doors of the church. 

“Have you ever been to a church service in your life?” I had asked him a few years ago. We had just finished a pleasant day of visiting and talking. He hesitated. Then with a bitter smile he told me of his childhood experience some fifty years ago. He was one of the many children in a large, impoverished family. His parents had struggled to provide food, with little left for housing and clothing. 

When he was about ten, some neighbors invited him to worship with them. The Sunday School class had been very exciting. He had never heard such songs and stories before. He had never heard anyone read from the Bible. After class was over, the teacher took him aside and said, “Son, please don’t come again dressed as you are now. We want to look our best when we come into God’s house.” 

He stood in his ragged, unpatched overalls. Then looking at his dirty bare feet, he answered softly, “No Ma’am, I won’t—ever.” And I never did,” he said, abruptly ending our conversation. 

There must have been other factors that hardened him, but this experience formed a significant part of the bitterness in his heart. 

I’m sure that Sunday school teacher meant well. But did she really understand the love of Christ? Had she studied and accepted the teaching found in the second chapter of James? What if she had put her arms around that dirty, ragged little boy and said, “Son, I am so glad you are here, and I hope you will come every chance you get to hear more about Jesus.” 

Yes, I saw him in the church house for the first time on Wednesday. As I looked at that immaculately dressed old gentleman lying in his casket, I thought of a little boy of long ago. I could almost hear him say, “No Ma’am, I won’t—ever.” 

And I wept. 

Oh God, help us all—pastors, teachers, parents, to remember the lowliness of the Babe in the manger and help us show forth His love to the lowly, unlovely, and unloved! In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.¹

Reflect 

“So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like STARS in the universe.” Philippians 2:15 

Respond 

What do you think would have happened if the teacher in the story above had put her arms around that little boy and said, “We love you so much and we are so glad you came to church today”? What kind of difference do you think it would have made? As a children’s ministry leader God has given you the privilege of making a positive difference in the lives of kids. In what ways do you desire for God to grow and use you this year? How do you want to “shine”? Are there areas in which you desire to do better as compared to last year (i.e., build stronger relationships with students and parents, do better remembering and recognizing birthdays, do better in attending a ball game or other events that your students participate in outside of church to show how special they are to you, etc.)? 

Your thoughts?

Remember 

A reflection is only as clear as the mirror is clean. Let Jesus shine in you this week. 

¹Shirley Ward, “No Ma’am, I Won’t—Ever,” A. A. Baker, ed. The Christian School Parent (Taylors, SC: Honeycomb Publishing, August 1997), p. 1.