Let’s face it – life is brimming with activity! Volunteering to teach children about God, His love for them , and the reason He sent is Son – that can get squeezed out by the many things filling your “to do” list. Yet children are most receptive to the Gospel when they are young. That’s motivating to make it a priority!
Reaching children for Christ when they are most receptive – that’s something worthy of your time! I know God has different focuses for each of us in different seasons, so this may not be that season for you.
However, there are some wonderful bonuses to investing in the lives of children on a spiritual level that makes it all the more worthwhile to make the sacrifice! Here are just a few:
Teaching…
1. Gets you in the Word!
While spending daily time in the Word is incredibly beneficial, the truth is that it may not always happen. And if it does, you may read a passage, pray a minute, and then get on with your day. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember what God was speaking to you just a few hours earlier.
If you are going to convey the message of a particular Bible story well in the classroom, it requires a deeper understanding of that story. That takes a minute. Something to chew on! And grasping that story and being able to break it down and share it with children in a way that is meaningful to them – you have to take to heart the truths at a deeper level!
It doesn’t matter if you are new in your faith and learning along with the children, or you have been a believer for some time – there are always fresh and applicable truths to glean when you are in the Word!
2. Requires you to have priorities
Teaching children entails more than the teaching time on Sunday morning, Wednesday night, or whatever time you get to teach kiddos! It involves prepping as well. In order to be most effective, you have to have space in your life to fit that in. Creating that space means that you have to let some things go – you have to have priorities. That’s a good thing!
3. Keeps you young!
If you are a parent, you might find that teaching children keeps you young hard to believe. After all, being a parent is a 24/7 job and can be exhausting! Being a parent might even make you feel old.
However, if you are kid free or no longer have young children, it can be incredibly rejuvenating! Children bring a fresh perspective and zest to life that is hard to find anywhere else. Not to mention the chance to tap into your own inner child – that keeps you young as well!
4. Makes you laugh
Oh, how children make you laugh; and laughing is good for you! Kids really do say the darndest things!
5. Fills you with love
Children are so free with their love. I think it is one of the reasons God encourages us to be “child-like.” When you extend yourself to them and show them how much you value them, they are quick to reciprocate.
And there are those children that are struggling, that have issues, and can make teaching hard. When you win one of those children over – they will love you the most! The reward to being firm yet lavishing them with love!
6. Reminds you of what child-like really looks like
As I already alluded to, God wants us all to be more child-like. Teaching gives you a little peek into what that looks like! Sometimes it is easy to forget!
7. Makes a difference in the Kingdom
Teaching is more than just giving up a couple of hours in your week to prepare, and an hour or so to teach. It is a chance to invest in the Kingdom in a powerful way. You never know which of the children in your classroom will go on to do advance the Kingdom in a significant way. That’s kind of cool to think about!
8. Keeps you connected to God
Even though there are some bonuses to teaching children about God, it is not always easy. It also keeps you dependent on God and that’s a good thing! God is so tickled when we are dependent on Him!
Teaching children about the One who loved them enough to send His Son to save them – that’s a valuable way to invest your time!
How about you? What bonuses have you experienced as a result of teaching children about Jesus?
Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me – God who sent me.
Mark 9:37 (MSG)
© Can Stock Photo / andreykuzmin