For the last year I've watched my son, 6 years old, become a boy of prayer.
He has never rushed through prayer when it was time (meals, bedtime) and always has put thought into it, and almost always prays for others more than himself.
The other day we were talking about many subjects but one is about the missing lunches at school. Someone has been stealing packed lunches, and several kids have taken to playing detective trying to figure out who it is. Calvin was a victim of a similar theft.
While we were talking, I brought up how one time Calvin's shoes went missing, or if he leaves a ball out it'll be taken, and we talked about loving our enemies.
We talked about how when we dedicate ourselves and even our stuff to God's work, that when people take it, they're making an enemy out of God's people, and thus God.
(exodus 23:22)
So if these people are technically our enemies, and when they take stuff we get mad, how can we love them when we really want them to come to harm?
(matt 5:43-45)
Then I said, "well, if they die as enemies to God, they will not ever have a chance to know God, they will go to Hell. Do you want anyone to go there?" (I was a bit cautious about the word Hell as we have not brought this up too much to the kids yet.)
both of them replied "no"
"Then I think, we can love our enemies best by praying that they find Christ as their Savior, if that means getting caught... or if that means reading a Bible they stole, whatever it means, God knows what He's doing, even if sometimes things make us sad."
Well... as I said these things to him, I was convicted myself, and even further when Calvin led us in prayer for them.
BUT THEN..
the next day, teachers came to me and said
"today your son led a prayer, and many children and teachers were around, and he prayed for the souls of the raskols who steal things, that they would find Jesus. It was incredibly moving to us adults."
This was a room with people in it who have suffered loss at the hands of raskols here. It is a reality anywhere you live that you will have people who oppose you. And my son was sitting there not knowing the ramifications of his actions, and how he was touching people's hearts.
Now.. you tell me...
did God send us here so that our kids could minister or what? I mean seriously... at age 6 he's impacted a room simply through his remarkable desire to pray to God.
I'm constantly blessed (and challenged) by my kids... and I do thank God for them daily.
