Coach's Corner

Kids’ Matter

I had a chance to think about kids this week and what lessons we learn from them. The first thing I noticed was how open children are with each other. Have you ever noticed that 'little people' can meet a new friend and within minutes they can easily become close friends. Why does it take adults so much longer? Maybe we tend to have too many protective layers in place.

Bullying is a big issue for kids these days, but generally speaking, children don't tend to judge each other the way adults do. Children seem prepared to view someone, especially someone they've just met, as a potential friend. They have an innocence about them that is inspiring. Do you ever wonder what life would be like if we as adults could recover our innocence? It's probably an indictment of our world and culture to think that growing up and maturity tends to bring with it 'lost innocence.' I guess one of the greatest tragedies is when kids prematurely lose their innocence or when it is abusively taken from them. Adults are supposed to be the guardians of kids so that they can retain their innocence for as long as possible.

I guess that's why Jesus provided such a strict warning to adults who damage kids -- it's better that a millstone be tied around your neck and be thrown to the bottom of the lake than to face God as he deals with the ones who hurt the 'little people' of our world. After all, their angels always see the face of our Father in heaven and they are quick to run to their aid.

Children seem to be so naturally good at celebrating and enjoying the simple things of life. Technology presents kids with an opportunity to do more, communicate more fully and also to be robbed of the power of the simple things. Simplicity and joy go together. I think that's why kids are usually so joy-filled -- because they haven't become sophisticated yet. I think we can learn something from kids -- to become 'less sophisticated and complicated.' Keeping life simple is the way to joy.

I love to watch kids gather icicles, just because they are “cool” or take the time to roll a really big snowball because they love the snow. How often do we look at the snow falling and see it as another challenge we have to deal with in the day?

When kids trust, they trust completely!! Jesus places huge value on children -- in fact, He says that we should become like them in some way if we want to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes we think that we couldn't possibly learn anything from kids around us, but reflecting on my simple observations above, there is so much we can learn.

The adult friends of Jesus were big on keeping the children from Jesus -- because they bought into the immature notion that little people don't matter as much as 'big people.

Kids are grace gifts, little miracles given to us and are an important part of a healthy society -- in fact, our future is our kids. When we realize how much grace has been extended to us, may we be extenders of that grace and make a few new friends!! May we begin to appreciate again the "œordinary miracles" that surround us. I hope our eyes will be filled with the wonder and awe of all that God has given us and His awesome creation.

Just as kids are quick to trust, we too can learn what it means to entrust ourselves to a Father who loves us completely. God has promised to be our Father -- are we trusting Him as simply and wholly as our children trust us? It may help us to remember that He is the ONLY ONE who is totally trustworthy. If we could become like little children, we would find that we can trust God and His love for us.

Because kids do matter here at King Street Church, we work hard to provide a safe environment for you to bring your families, and to create a fun place for your children to learn about how much God loves them.

We are so excited to have Pastor Kathy Maietta join our staff on Sunday March 4th to give leadership to the Children's Ministries. Not only does she have a passion for kids and a desire to help them to know God's love, but she is a specialist in children's education.

We are blessed to have her and her family with us here at King Street. We know your kids will want to come and get to know Pastor Kathy and get involved – and as they learn, may we learn from them about how to become like little children in our faith.

Thank God for kids, they are little people with big lessons to teach us,

Pia Larmour

Posted March 01, 2007