The Heart of a Child

Yesterday, my third son came to 'big' church, motivated by the fact that the ushers pass out little packets containing coloring pages and crayons to the children. I didn't mind his motive; I was just glad he wanted to be there. I grew up going to 'big' church. It's good for kids to worship with their parents and to hear the message that God has laid on the head pastor's heart.

Half way through worship, Parker noticed that Mimi and Papa were just across the aisle. So when Pastor encouraged everyone to 'shake hands with your neighbor and welcome them into the House of the Lord,' Parker made a bee-line to his grandparents and ended up sitting with them during the service.

Near the end, an offering was taken for the guest worship leader. When the usher came to Parker's row, Parker got up and gave the usher a big hug and then sat down. After services, we asked him why he did that. Here is his reply:

"Well, I didn't have any money to put in the offering and I wanted to give him something."

Doesn't that just melt your heart. The heart of a child.

Imagine if in that moment of giving, the heart of the child had been overlooked or reprimanded........"Sit down, Parker!"

Imagine if in that moment, the usher had not reciprocated.

We can squelch the working of the Holy Spirit in our children's lives without realizing it. I'm so glad that Mimi and Papa let Parker give the usher his hug filled with love, filled with giving, filled with self-sacrifice. It was a precious moment that this mama will never forget.

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As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." Luke 21:1-4

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7