So at church today I was to work with middle school and high school kids. I had a guest speaker lined up, a former student, one who graduated from high school 5 years ago, and now in going for her masters.Then he said, "I tell you with certainty, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Then I was told there was no one for the little ones pre-schoolers. So we were going to have a couple of teens watch them, but it didn't seem right that they were going to miss out. So I asked our guest speaker if she'd be ready for a stretch and talk to the teens in the preschool room.
So we set up chairs in a circle, and while she related to the circle of teens her life since 'sunday school' and how she used spiritual principles and her connection with G!d in her life in the past five years...the little ones ran in circles, played, fussed, and played and ran some more. The teens were occasionally distracted but most often focused on the story that was being told. The little ones were mostly playing but occasionally came up to have one of us solve some dispute or to sit on a lap for a moment and listen.
It was a joy, it went swimmingly, the little ones had a great time, they cleaned up all their toys when told and then we held hands in a circle. One of the little ones said, "Why did you have a meeting in our room?" Another said "Thank you for letting us play during your meeting" and another, "Can you have your meeting in here again?" And another asked, "Why do we have to hold hands?" A flurry of questions all at once.
Now the closing prayer circle with the teens is usually interesting, one always volunteering another to do it, some always willing to step up if no one else does. And me thinking our guest would probably like to close us out but I asked anyway, "So who wants to pray us out?" One of the preschoolers jumps at the chance and says. "I'd like to pray for us!" And he did, and it was a wonderful closing prayer. And what came to mind was:
andThen he said, "I tell you with certainty, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
"Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."