Is it scary in there? How dark is it?” The one posing the question was about 7 years old. Her turned-up nose and dimpled cheeks posed childhood at its best. A face of innocence, and she wanted truthful answers.
“Where do you sit all day? Where is your office? Is it dark?”
This little one just happened to come by the office suite that morning and perhaps asked a question she had wondered about for a long time.
“No, the pastor’s study is not dark, and it is a cheerful place. It is a place where he spends a lot of time asking God for guidance in what he will say in his sermons on Sunday morning, and he also talks with people about what they want to talk about.”
And then after telling her about my office, I took her by the hand, and we enjoyed a tour of the office suite. She took in every inch, noticing things I had never paid any attention to.
There was a hint of satisfaction in her voice as she thanked me and hurried down the corridor to her class. My head was spinning with plans for the future.
The situation was simple to understand. We take children for granted. There is much we do not explain to them that needs explaining. We never know what questions will come next. It is our joy and duty as leaders and members of a church to encourage them. It goes without saying, to take time and listen.
Had I not stopped and complimented her on her dress and how the summer was going, my morning would not have been lifted by the sweet spirit of a child. But, most of all it dawned on me that I need to be sure as director of education at Farmville that the children had positive thoughts about every inch of the building and did not think they were holiest of holy places that they were left to decide were off limits and dark.
Once when I said, “Come see me in my office sometime,” a little boy said, “My mama said to stay out of there. All the grown-ups don’t like it when children go around messing up their office.” Negative thoughts about people who love them. It makes sense that if we don’t tell them any different, a lot of closed doors can say a thousand words, not always good things.
So, at the risk of turning all early childhood and preschool directors against me (Oh! What a blessing they are! I could go off on a tangent about the need of and the wonderful work they do in a church), let me mention what I want to do.
Tour of the building
In a few weeks, with the cooperation of the Sunday School teachers, I would like to take each class of children on a tour of the building and especially the office suite. Let them see who sits where and explain what they do.
Yes, we have new members classes for children, but time has not allowed such a venture, there are so many others things to talk about. I suppose I may be behind times and many of you reading this are thinking, “She should visit our church. We already do exactly what she is talking about.”
Try to read between the lines of what I am saying. For a big church my thoughts of a tour might not sound logical, but everyone can figure out their own way as to how they can answer the questions we don’t even know children are asking sometime.
Children are the chosen ones of God. Every staff member should find their way down the halls of the church on Sunday morning. A pat on the head goes a long way.
Blessed are the church members that I see taking the time to speak to all the children and not just their own.
Blessed are the church members and staff leaders who never lose their cool with children. One harsh negative word from adults can scare a child and turn them away from the feeling they should have at church. Some of them get enough harsh words at home. Forgive me, parents and seminary teachers and LifeWay experts who do a good job of telling us all how to relate to children.
Since I put two candy jars in my office, the youth and children come by to visit with me. They see that my office is not dark nor scary. Messed up and unorganized, maybe, but also a place where children are welcome and together we can find some answers.
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