Why Worry?

Matthew 6:25-34 is one of the most frequently quoted Scripture passages in discussions about money and work. Sadly, there are some who use this text to imply that Jesus was against earning money and that He considered work a distraction from things that really matter. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A careful examination of these verses reveals that Jesus was condemning worry, not work. He called us to make God the object of our faith, for He is the one who ultimately supplies our physical, material, and spiritual needs. The following are seven reasons why we should not worry:

• The same God who created life in us can be trusted with the details of our life (verse 25).
• Worrying about the future impedes our efforts for today (verse 26).
• Worrying is more harmful than helpful (verse 27)
• God does not ignore those who depend on Him (verses 28-30)
• Worrying shows a lack of faith in understanding of God and His love for us. (verses 31-32).
• Worrying keeps us from real challenges God wants us to tackle (verse 33).
• Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry (verse 34)

These are concepts we can start to instill in our youngest students as they watch us live them out in our own lives. So when we're tempted to worry, we can turn to God's Word instead!

Helping Young Children Feel Welcome at Church

Young children often cry when brought to church and left in the classroom because irregular attendance makes each week a new and strange experience. Others simply want to express their displeasure at being separated from their parents. To help alleviate the child's anxiety, be sure an adult devotes some personalized attention to each child as he arrives.

Stoop down to the child's level and welcome him by name. Help him say goodbye to mommy or daddy. Do not let his parent slip out unnoticed. Rather, say, "Mommy will be back later to pick you up. Say goodbye to Mommy. See you later, Mommy." Then help the child wave goodbye. Next, guide the child to place a sticker on an attendance chart.  Then gently lead the child into the selected learning center or to a free play area. Many children can become diverted by toys or a good book once their parents have left the room.

Our Responsibility to Nurture Kids According to God's Word

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 — “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

God instructs us to get to know His commands on a personal level. Parents are to teach God’s Word to their children; we are to talk about God’s Word in our homes, our neighborhoods, and our communities. As a church, we have a responsibility to help parents learn God’s Word so they can teach it to their children. We also have a responsibility to teach God’s Word to all who enter our doors, children included. Part of our responsibility is to share God’s Word with the surrounding community of adults and children alike.

Proverbs 22:6 —“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

God commands us to train up a child in the way he should go so God’s Word will stick with him as he grows older, and he will continue to follow God’s way. Children who are grounded in God’s Word and who have Christian examples to follow are much less likely to stray from it.

Matthew 18:5 — “And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”

Jesus compared our attitude toward children with our attitude toward Him when He said, “Whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me.”

Matthew 18:10-14 — “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.”

Jesus instructs us not to look down on children, for God does not want any of them to be lost. As the church, we have a responsibility to train up children in God’s way so they can come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Matthew 19:13-15 — “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”

Jesus gathered the children to Him and blessed them. He let the children know how much He loved and valued them. Jesus reminds us that children (even preschoolers) are an important part of the church right now. He did not say, “Let the children come to me when they are old enough to read” or “when they reach the age of accountability.” There were no conditions on His acceptance of children. Rather, Jesus welcomes all children

just as they are. All children are stars in Jesus' eyes!

For a PDF version of this post, download the full article: Our Responsibility to Nurture Children.