Your four year old son or daughter comes running toward you. Eyes are filled with tears. Fear and pain displayed on their face and a scrape on their knee. You clean up the wound, dry the tears, and comfort with a hug that drives all fear away. Incidents such as these come and go quickly and tend to get buried in our pile of memories day in and day out. Perhaps we have forgotten such times as these, but God remembers. We as parents are not only leaders in our families, but also servants. The idea of servant leader comes to mind. We lead and guide our children, yet serve them and tend to their needs. These small acts of servant-hood may seem to fall by the wayside, unremembered. But God does not forget. Jesus said this in Matthew 10:42, “And if anyone gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” The little acts of servant-hood toward our children and others are a big deal to Jesus! He even goes so far as to say this in Matthew 25:40, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Showing love for our children is like showing love directly to Jesus himself. Consider the following list as we as parents go through the so-called mundane things in life.
1. Jesus was thirsty today. You gave him water!
2. Jesus had a bloody nose today! You wiped it clean!
3. Jesus was crying. You comforted Him!
4. Jesus needed his clothes cleaned. You washed them!
5. Jesus needed a new pair of shoes. You provided it!
6. Jesus had trouble with homework! You helped Him!
7. Jesus was hungry! You gave him something to eat!
How serious is Jesus when it comes to caring for and protecting our children? He spoke these words in Matthew 18:6, “But if anyone causes one of the little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” There is nothing on this earth that can equal the value of a human soul. All the gold, silver, and precious jewels on earth are not enough. In God’s eyes the value of just one person cannot be counted in natural terms. 1 John 3:1 states, “ How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! “ This love is not just poured, but dumped on us, thus drenching us to the bone with His love! To God be the glory!
Jim Meyer, Administrator
