Raising Youngins

I was recently asked to write a devotion for early childhood volunteers at my church. Wanted to share in this space as well… grateful and honored for the opportunity to share my love of Jesus and writing with others.

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Read Jonah 1-4

It’s dark. You try to push yourself up, but your hands are stuck in some sticky substance. Is that fish or dead animal you smell? Doesn’t matter, it smells awful. You try to stand but knock your head on whatever the ceiling is and fall back down into the muck. The only thing you can think of is GET ME OUT OF HERE. Day after day goes by and finally, you’re quite literally vomited out of the giant fish. Yuck! What could you have possibly done to land in a belly of a fish?

…You wanted God all to yourself. You did not share God’s love and grace with the neighbors, coworkers, friends and family God put in your path. God asked you to be His light to those around you, but you refused.

Being stuck in the belly of a giant fish may sound like an out of this world punishment, but let’s go back to the beginning for some context. Ninevah needed help. They didn’t have a God to turn to for hope. They didn’t have the love that God gives us to treat others with compassion and grace. The Ninevites were in imminent danger and bound for hell. No one was telling them that they needed to turn from their foolish and selfish ways. But we are all made in God’s image. God has a point of connection with all of us and He wants everyone to know Him, even His enemies. The problem was that Jonah didn’t want to share his Lord. The Lord that gave him the knowledge, talents, grace and mission to reach the nations. Jonah didn’t believe the Ninevites deserved the Lord’s grace and mercy.

When you first invited Jesus into your heart, did you want to tell the whole world about it? Were you on fire for sharing Jesus with everyone? Is the flame still there, or has it gone out? God has shown me so much compassion, I want my sister-in-law, kids, friends, my kids’ teachers, cashier, server, EVERYONE to know that my sins have been forgiven and I live in the hope of Jesus Christ. I recently read a saddening comment about the children around us: All families have secrets… until the Sunday school teacher asks for prayer requests. It’s heart breaking to know what challenges kids face these days. That’s why we need YOU! We need you to share God with the children because we don’t know what their little hearts and minds hear and see when they go home, go to school or experience around their friends. But these sweet kids are made in God’s image and God wants them to know Him – for His peace, joy and comfort. So they can come to Him with their heaviest of needs.

Here’s the thing: God will still use bitter and reluctant people for His Will either way, i.e. Jonah. Jonah continued to whine to God even when the Ninevites repented and turned toward God! He was sitting on a hill, staring at the city that he just converted to Christ begging God to kill him. Our kind God comforts Jonah while giving him shade in a hot desert, but Jonah doesn’t give in to God’s kindness. He continues to be angry that God would save the city of Ninevah and that’s how we see the story end. At the end of my worldly mission, I want to reflect on those people God placed in my life (especially my kids!) and fully believe that I tried the best I could to share the Good News. And I want to praise God for the souls that were saved. Be willing to trust God with that conversation with a precious little kiddo who may just need someone to listen, play with them, color with them – don’t keep God all for yourself, share Him with all those around you!

Prayer: Lord, please help me show compassion to others just like you have shown me. Let me never take for granted the love and grace that I have now that I know you. Place people in my path that need you. Guide my conversations and interactions to honor you and your mission. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the children of Southeast. May their little hearts be full of you, and their confidence to share You with others increase after hearing all that you’ve done for me. Amen.