Seeing the Whole Picture

Don’t you love Saturdays? It is a day off, isn’t it? Not for those involved in children’s ministry. Give me a break. There’s usually too much to do and not enough time to do it in, especially for those who also have a Saturday night service.

Something happened this past Saturday that set it apart from any other Saturday. At the end of our service, I received a call from a parent who hasn’t had a child in the Children’s Ministry age bracket for some time. They called to tell me that their youngest child, a 15-year-old, had told them of a report that they had written as a school assignment to tell of people that had greatly influenced their lives. You guessed it. Vickie and I were among the three people listed in the report. The parents were so grateful for our investment in their child’s life.

On this particular Saturday, I needed the call. The crowd wasn’t one that I’d use as a promo picture for a church growth conference. In fact, there were only a handful of kids that night. I don’t remember a single parent offering accolades for ministering to their child. It would have been an opportune time to have a pity party and concede that perhaps I had wasted my time. And yet, God took time out His hectic agenda that night to send me a much needed reminder. He used this call to remind me that I don’t see the total picture. A minute looking a child in the eyes and telling them that I love them, offering a message that challenges the child to go after God, and finally providing a rub on the head or a Texas-size hug as they leave … I was reminded that night that with His help, each week I’m helping the heart of a child know the heart of the Father. I’m making an eternal difference.

Thanks God for the reminder.