Kids and the Kingdom

(This is Asher)

Kids and the Kingdom

“Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.’” Jeremiah 31:3

Most of my readers know I retired from ministry a few months ago. A 10-year chronic headache finally got the best of me and I could no longer manage both the pain and the responsibilities of pastoring a church. It was a painful and difficult decision.

Just as difficult was the knowledge that we were not financially prepared for such a move. With grace and compassion, my sister and her husband opened their house to us and we moved in with them near Dallas, TX. Our plan is to finish paying off our house in Washington State and move back there to retire.

For me, leaving is always hard. I thrive on relationships. In fact, my deepest experiences of God are in relationship with others. If you were to ask, “Mark, if you wanted to have an intimate experience with the Almighty, what would you do?” Years ago, I might have replied with fasting, praying, worship, or any number of the other responses most religious people might give. Today though, I would say, “I would have lunch with a best friend.” Whatever we mean by the “manifest presence” of God, I experience it most deeply when I’m with people who matter to me.

So, though I am living with my dear sister and brother-in-law, I also felt cut off from much of what filled my life with divine joy. Not only had we developed great friendships in almost 12 years in one pastorate, both in our church and in the community, but we had picked up nearly 20 children on our church van every Sunday for the entire time.

The front two pews were always filled with children ages four to 12, not counting the teenagers. I couldn’t wait for those first few moments before Sunday Service when I would visit with that boisterous group of kids. In fact, they would often be in the aisle grabbing my arm to talk to me or show me something before I ever got to their seats.

Amy, now nine years old, lost her mother two and a half years ago. She had been riding our van for five years. While her mom was sick, every time we asked for prayer, Amy came right to the front, tears in her eyes, with her two young cousins alongside her, asking for us to pray for her mom. For months after her mother passed, Amy still asked for prayer.

We often asked people to share something God had done in their life recently, and Amy always shot her hand up first. For nearly a year, she said the same thing, her eyes glistening with tears, “I’m glad God took care of my Mommy while she was sick, and now she is with Jesus.” Pause. “But I still really miss her.”

On the Sunday I retired I invited all of our children up to the platform with me, to share just with them for a few moments. They scurried up to join me and we began talking and asking questions. After everyone gathered a little three-year-old boy with long wavy blond hair climbed the steps, looked up at me and said, “Hi Church”, then turned around and went back to sit with his mommy.

That was Asher. I’ve known him since he was born and both his mom and grandma since our first few weeks at that church. I held his tiny frame in my arms within weeks of his birth. He and I have a very special bond.

But, he has never called me, “Pastor” or “Pastor Mark” or “Mark” or even “Baby Jesus” (which a four-year-old in another church used to do). No, I was “Church” to him. I assumed that was now my “Rap” name, so I could announce at the beginning of service, “Hey, Yo, Church is in da house!” I tried to tag him as “Lil Church” but he wouldn’t go for it. I’d say, “And who is Lil Church”. He always responded, “You Church!”

Sometimes we would accompany his family to dinner after church. No matter the seating arrangement, I made sure I sat next to Asher. He has a way of lighting up everyone around him, mostly with his laugh. His laugh, no kidding, ushers in the very presence of God. He’s a tiny guy, but when he lets go with a full-throated, mouth wide open, head swung back series of giggles, nobody is safe! Might as well say, “Thank You Holy Spirit!”

That is one of the things I remember from my last Worship Service. We had ended, and people were going downstairs for a potluck. I went over to Asher and his mom, picked him up and swung him around just a bit, and, out came the joy! It’s like honey, a puppy’s yelp and the best dance music all at once. And yes, God was in the moment; at least for me.

So, when we moved to the suburbs of Dallas I wondered how I would fare. I was leaving adult friends and children who were the life-blood of my spirit. My wife soon got a job, and since there are only two cars in the household, my sister and I are on foot for most of the day. The frustrating part is that there is no coffee shop or place to hangout any closer than six miles away, and no public transportation.

But God has loved us with an everlasting love. Our house has a covered front porch and I have taken to sitting there midafternoon to read or play my mandolin. A couple of days into that routine the next-door neighbor drove up, bringing her kids home from school; a set of 6-year-old twins (brother and sister), a 4-year old-daughter and a daughter almost ready to turn two. They piled out of the van, looked over at me, and said “Hi”. I smiled and waved back, “Hi, how was your day?”

For the last two and a half months, those four children have become my best friends. Now they don’t simply wave from their driveway. They come all the way over to the porch and show me what they did in school or about why they took their dog to the vet. A few weeks ago, after the three oldest had visited and turned to go home, the younger daughter turned around and came back by herself.

“I love you,” she said. It was a butterfly voice. A tiny silk voice. A voice that speaks truth without calculation. And that voice landed on the flower petals of my heart. The mom told me a few days later, “My kids really love you.”

But that’s not all. I try to walk several times a week. I walk the same route each time for a couple of reasons. One is, I know how far I’ve walked. But the other is selfish. I hope people will eventually go, “Hey, there’s that guy I see walking all the time”, and maybe I’ll make some friends.

I was walking a few days before Easter and I could see a dad helping his kids out of their car, probably coming home after school. A boy about three was already on the sidewalk and his eyes were sad and downcast. A few steps in front of me was a purple plastic Easter egg rolling toward me. I picked it up, snapped it back together and gave it to the boy. The father noticed and said, “Thanks”. By that time two elementary school age girls were also out of the car.

I was ready to resume my walk when the boy opened the egg and reached his little arms toward me. He showed me the plastic giraffe; the prize within the egg. Immediately the girls came over as well, tilting their Easter baskets to show me all of their treasures also. I think the Holy Spirit was present too.

Then, a week ago, on my walk, I saw a preschool girl struggle with her bike on the sidewalk in front of me. She fell, but not hard. Her knees did not even touch the ground. I suppose that is one advantage to learning to ride bike when you are short and have less distance to fall. She had remounted the bike by the time I caught up with her. She wore a pink and purple helmet and the bike was obviously new.

“That’s a nice bike”, I said as I walked past her. “Thank you,” And I walked on, waving at her mom sitting in front of their house across the street. Then, seconds later I heard the same tiny voice, “I want to catch up to him.” Mom said something I didn’t understand. Probably a warning about not catching up to strangers. I think the Holy Spirit was present.

You may disagree, but I think children can usher us into the presence of God almost any time we allow them. Parents wanted to bring their children to Jesus to have him touch them. The disciples rebuked them.

It is important to note that children were not honored in the ancient world. They were loved and cared for, of course, but not held up as examples of anything. So, when Jesus not only says, “Allow the little children to come to me,” but also, “for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these”, I’m sure there was plenty of shock, whispers and, “Did I hear that right?”

I’m not going to theologize about it much here, I just know my own experience. I have 40 years as a “Pentecostal”, and I have seen all sorts of experiences that are the real power and presence of God. I have also observed people trying to work up some sort of experience, hoping to come away with a touch of the divine.

For me, there has hardly been a time in my life, after spending time with children, that I needed to ask, “Where is God?” Didn’t Jesus even say that when we did anything to “the least of these” that we have done it to him?

If you want to see where the kingdom of God meets this present earthly life, spend some time with a child. Look for the face of Jesus. Don’t spend time instructing them (unless, of course, you are their teacher. We’re paying you to do that.) Just be with them. Rejoice over their Easter baskets. Listen to their stories about their pets. Hear their laughs, Dry their tears. Let them show you what they drew. Answer their question about that mole on your arm. Just be with them. I cannot explain it, but that is when I experience Christ and His kingdom most clearly.