A Theological Lesson From...M&M's!
Happy Easter, Moms!
Last week I was asked to lead the evangelism portion of my church's Vacation Bible School program this summer. I was honored. And terrified. As a pastor I should be good at telling people about Christ, but there is the intimidation factor of being in front of lots and lots and lots of little kids!
There is also a sensitivity that I have in wanting to get it right. Some of these children will be hearing the gospel message made personal for the first time. I was told that the theme of the camp will be the Wild West. But I certainly do not want to wrangle them - rather I want to present a gentle invitation.
Sharing our faith can definitely mean stepping outside of our comfort zone, as it is for me in this instance. But I think if we are wary, if we are mindful of the sensitivities necessary, then we will probably do a really good job. It is those who ignore them that can be off-putting.
Each of us must discern when to share our faith, but sharing it with our children is essential. We cannot depend on Sunday school to do this, and in my mind, we shouldn't want to. Part of creating the next generation of responsible Christians means that we need to take the time to craft what our children learn and how they practice it personally.
I thought I would share a creative way to tell our children about Christianity in honor of the holiday. This is just one way of many. I came across this Easter poem and wanted to share it with you: http://cdn.www.ministry-to-children.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/easter-poem-600.jpg
What a catchy (and tasty) way to share the gospel message! It is an important reminder about the true meaning of Easter. I am going to try reading this poem to my boys. I predict the blue M&M's might work wonders with my four year old, as that's his favorite color. I'll keep you posted...I'd love to hear your stories too!
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the hope of your resurrection, and its sweet truth in our lives. We give thanks for your sacrifice on the cross and celebrate your victory over death. May your sacrifice not be in vain - help us to teach it to our children so that they might benefit from all of the blessings provided in you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
So I gave the above lesson a whirl. My older son learned what each symbol stands for - the meaning behind each will come in later years. I was proud when I asked him what Easter means and he said, "Jesus is a healer!" And the M&M's disappeared quickly...of course!
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