Worship at the Readiness School always begins with music. We haven't seen each other since before Christmas and so the kids and I are very excited. Smiling faces...and a few jumping beans....and everyone wanting to share a story. Oh how I love preschoolers!
I remind them about how God created the world. Noah built an arc. Joseph had a coat with lots of colors and Jesus was born in a manger. I then ask them a question...thinking to myself that the answers will be quite interesting.
"What happened to Jesus after he was born?"
The answers they go like this:
"He just went poof."
"He disappeared."
"God"...because that is the answer when you don't know the answer.
Finally, one of the children says, "He grew up."
It is not often we talk about Jesus as a child. There are very few facts in the bible about his growing up years. I like to imagine it was not much different than the way we grew up. I tell the kids he had to learn to walk and talk. He learned to read and write. He learned just like they do.
Yes, he was fully God but he was fully human too...and there is a lot of mystery in that. Still the place where I connect most with Jesus is where he seems most human. It is the reason I call him Savior.
Why is it we celebrate Christmas without telling our kids what happens next. Before the Lenten season begins take some time to tell your kids about Jesus as a kid. That he lived and loved here as a toddler, ten year old, teen. Oh my what stories we might imagine...what Jesus was like as a youngster. That is a dinner conversation I would love to hear.
