And a Child Shall Lead Them

I am not a bumper sticker person. I’m not quite sure why I have this adverse feeling toward words and glue stuck to the bumper of my car, but I do. However, I do enjoy those who love bumper stickers. Their bumpers entertain me. Their bumper stickers cause me to chuckle; stir me through inspiration and at times make my blood boil in anger. 

A bumper sticker that once caused me to roll my eyes in a ‘whatever?!’ sort of attitude was the bumper sticker that read “Let Me Tell You about My Grandchildren!”  No longer do my eyes roll. I now totally understand and agree. You see I have the two most precious grandchildren in the entire world (I’m not biased at all). Caroline is four and Luke is two. They reach, touch and teach me in ways I never imagined possible.

Caroline (4) asks her ‘Shady’ (this is what they call Sharon, her grandmother) as she applies her make-up “Shady, what are you doing?”  “I’m putting on my make up.”  “But why are you doing that Shady, you’re beautiful just the way you are!”  Out of the mouth of babes comes a truth that speaks to the soul.  

Luke (2) is at the stage in life where he believes that a kiss heals all things.  Whether it is stumped toe, bug bite or an incision from knee replacement surgery, all one needs to do is kiss the violated area and the result is…all is well. You see a two year old believes there is power in a kiss. And a child shall lead them. 

I shall always remember the question of a child in my first appointment at Ebenezer UMC in Conyers. During ‘Small Talk’ (that’s we called the Children’s Moment in worship) Corey Kohlmeyer, age 6, raised his hand and asked this Pastor in front of the entire congregation: “Preacher Terry, why do we call ‘Good Friday’ good?”  

You could have heard a pen drop on the sanctuary carpet. All ears turned to see how this young ‘whipper-snapper’ of a preacher was going to answer a child. In that moment a child captured a worship service.

This week our Bishop will ask those candidates who offer themselves for ordination, “Will you teach the children in every place?” A simple but very important question! But I have to wonder if another question might also be appropriate. Perhaps Bishops should ask us all—laity and clergy alike, “Will we allow children to teach us in every place?” God speaks in all kinds of ways … I hope I’m listening. Now that’s a bumper sticker I just might put on my bumper!

--Rev. Terry Walton, senior pastor of Gainesville First UMC. North Georgia Ann Conf.

God Is Still in Control!

Miss Lladale Carey
Web Content Producer
www.umcgiving.org
lcarey@umcom.org