My Childs Observation
My oldest daughter just turned 7 a few weeks ago, and up til now, I worried about her lack of “attention” to church services. I have gingerly approached topics with her to see if perhaps she just wasn’t emotionally at the age of understanding – to some level. So I have nudged her here & there, assessing her reception of even basic Sunday School lessons and VBS messages, etc. I have worried that perhaps I wasn’t teaching her effectively although she is very excited about her daily Bible reading and loves to take her Bible off by herself and read alone. She can name stories and “characters” of Bible days, and reiterate the sequence of events. She knows that the Holy Ghost can live in our heart and that Jesus died for our sins…she is aware that we can pray for ANYTHING in Jesus name and believes that it can be done. I have no doubt in her faith at all…
But this past Sunday, my daughter, brought the reality of her attention span into clear detail for me. On Sunday nights the kids have a section near the front that they sit together with some volunteers to allow them the freedom of worshipping with their peers and participating in the service however they feel comfortable. They aren’t allowed to play or talk, and the ages range from 5 to around 12. For the most part, Grace doesn’t always want to sit with the kids because she hasn’t asserted her own enthusiasm in worship quite yet. She loves to sing and knows the words to most of the songs, however, she would rather sit with daddy and Grammie (mommy is always on the platform).
Anyway, long story short, this past Sunday night, I sang a song that I’ve been singing for a long time, Water Grave. Those of you who’ve been around Pentecost for longer than a day must know the song I’m referring to! Well, the first line starts off “In my house, there’s been a mercy killing”….as an adult, we are all aware as to what this is speaking of…but a child would in most instances be unaware of this song’s message. So, on the way home that night, Grace said: “Mom, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I didn’t like your song tonight”. I told her it was ok to not like everything that we sing, completely clueless as to where she was going with this conversation. Then she said, “Why did you say you were going to kill Mercie?” … AHA, lightbulb moment, my poor baby girl thought I was going to kill her sister!!! (slight laugh inserted…as an adult I found it humorous for a moment, till I saw the tears in her eyes.)
I began to cry as we pulled into the driveway and I grabbed her in a huge hug trying to explain the spiritual aspect of such a song in a way that a child (with a sister named Mercie) could understand. The only way to rationalize it for her quickly in that moment was to explain the difference in spelling…ok, it was a stretch but it worked right then!!!
But it got me to thinking…so often we under-estimate the power of absorption where children and even peers are concerned. We assume that because they are a certain way or age, they don’t “get” what we are doing in their presence. And yet, each and everything we do or say …action & deed… are read loud & clear by someone, somewhere! We must be more conscientious of our environment, and we must not overlook those we think aren’t really paying attention.
I am so guilty of making the assumption that I”m unnoticed or that I absorb into my surroundings…surely the kids didn’t see my attitude at the supermarket clerk, or when I fussed at the drive-thru teller. And yes, I’ve done all of the above…but lately, even before Grace opened my eyes, I had started seeing signs that my girls were mimicking me…when Hope would push away her plate because it wasn’t what she wanted…how often have I refused a plate at a restaurant because it wasn’t to the specifications of my order…A LOT! (Insert…to all of you waitresses, waiters, service industry providers…I’m SORRY and I really am trying harder to be more accepting and patient!!!).
So in summary, even if its not a child, perhaps its the co-worker whom you witness to on email, but gossip with at lunch, or maybe its the backslidden family member that you pray for in church but judge at family reunions….remember the old Sunday School song “be careful little mouth what you say, be careful little mouth what you say, there’s a father up above, looking down with tender love, so be careful little mouth what you say”… there are many variations admonishing our eyes, our ears, our hands, etc…but it’s not just God watching us with that all-seeing eye. It’s those unsuspecting viewers that we need to be aware of as well…live what you want others to REALLY see!!
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