When a lesson hits home

Our main point for this week's lessons was "Disciples of Jesus help others even if it costs them." The story was the Good Samaritan. The video skit from Elevate's Winter Extreme series illustrated the point really well. In small groups the kids made candy filled Valentine treat bags for area Children's Pastors who will be at our church this week for a network meeting. They weren't allowed to eat any of the candy as they worked in order to get across the point.

When I got home I started to think about the main point. Disciples of Jesus help others EVEN IF IT COSTS THEM. It was a good lesson for me. So much of my life right now is about parenting our young kids. They are an intensive, 24/7 kind of job. On Sunday morning in particular I was grumbling a bit because my 5 year old and 7 year old daughters were up at 6:30 am, ready to go in to church with me. They love to come with me at the early hour rather than coming in later with dad. My church job has in some ways been a break from the rest of my life. It gets me out of the house, thinking of things other than diapers and bottles and tying shoes and solving sibling conflicts. But now they want to go with me! Grumble I might, but today I heard that "Disciples of Jesus help others (even their own kids) even if it costs them." Even if there is no reward. Even if there is no thank you. Even if it is inconvenient. Even if it cuts into my "me-time."

The same thing can be said of the volunteers in our ministry. We do thank them often. I frequently pray that God will give them a sense of reward for their work. But showing up every week to work with kids COSTS them. They rearrange family schedules, they get up early, they may miss out on some adult education opportunities. They don't always see the difference they are making in the lives of their kids. They sometimes leave with a headache. But, they do it because they are disciples of Jesus. And Disciples of Jesus help others EVEN IF IT COSTS THEM.

It was a good attitude adjustment for me. So today when I am carrying a clinging, whining toddler through the grocery store I will remember that this is what disciples of Jesus do. They help, they love, they serve even when it isn't easy. I think that the teacher may have learned more than the students this week!