So, upon our arrival to our Ministry site, a children’s home, the children all helped us with our bags. One of them kept poking a mesh pocket on my bookbag. Inside the pocket was a rhinestone encrusted calculator. When the bags got upstairs, I noticed that that pocket was slighly ajar. And then I jumped to the conclusion: That kid saw the calculator, liked it and stole it. Little thief. So, when the boys started fiddling with carabiners, then my purse strap, I snatched up my purse with the quickness. Not today, little thief.
I was trying to get the other girls’ attention, but they were too busy playing with the kids and loving on them for me to take them aside with my stern warning. Eventually, we got all of our gear into our room, which the door can be shut and locked, thank goodness. Not gonna get anything else, little thief.
While getting ready for bed, I unzipped my bookbag pockets to see if they got anything else… And I see the calculator there, slightly shifted down so it wasn’t immediately visible. Umm… So… it was never stolen. But because I judged so quickly, I didn’t show love to this kid. An opportunity to love was stolen. In that moment God showed me that I was the little thief.
It is very easy to think that because we are coming in, because we are “doing ministry” that we always have to be on the giving end: give instruction, give rebuke, give love, give give give. But, what God has been showing me is that ministry is just an extension of life. As Mary says, “There is no mini Holy Spirit.” These kids share in our moments of love, giving, instruction, growth, rebuke and worship. God uses each of us to fill one another. We just have to humble ourselves to the point of receiving. We have to remember to choose love instead of judgement.
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10
