Feb 20, 2019
By Dodi Moncrief and Sharon Campbell
Sitting in a Sabbath School class with children ranging in ages from first through sixth grades made our hearts smile as we listened to the concern these young people have for their unsaved friends. We were actually focusing on JOY as part of the advent study, but our conversation changed to awareness of the unsaved who did not have this Joy and the need for our boldness.
JOY was actually the word of the day but quickly the focus turned to Boldness. We reminded the kids that there is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is an emotion that can disappear as quickly as it comes. Joy is a choice that we have. God gives us JOY. We can live in an attitude of anger, or resentment, OR we can choose Christ to rule over us each day and we can feel the joy. We discussed JOY as a reminder to put Jesus first, others next, and yourself last.
As the kids discussed JOY and what made them feel and experience JOY, their conversations quickly changed to their concern for others and the needs that they felt to show others the joy of Jesus.
Their concerns and boldness that they spoke about were awesome. We have a group of kids acting as missionaries in our local schools. Everyone participated and shared the concerns they had for their friends. They questioned why some classmates cannot or will not recognize there is a God. Others couldn’t realize why their friends had no remorse for their actions and acted in such an ungodly manner. Some could not understand why parents do not take their children to church. Bullying was a huge topic discussed throughout all the grade levels. If only everyone felt the “Joy of Jesus” there would not be bullying. They were burdened as they looked ahead to Jesus coming again…would their friends and loved ones be ready to meet Jesus or would they be left behind?
Above all, even at this young age, kids were trying to figure out the right approach to showing and sharing the Joy of Jesus. They were sensitive to gaining the right approach so as to not turn kids away from Jesus, but to lead them to Him. Their hearts were heavy and wanted all to feel the joy to have a friend’s heart turn to Jesus and accept Him. After a season of prayer with each kid lifting up the friend or friends they were concerned about, it was a reminder of how much these young ones love the Lord, but also want the love of Jesus to be shared by all. As we left the class, everyone, including the teachers, made a vow to go out and not be afraid but to be BOLD and share the Gospel in our community.
How often as adults do we tend to step back and not step forward to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ? Let’s take a lesson from these young people and be concerned for our unsaved friends and feel a genuine hunger to bring others to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are reminded in Romans 16:15 that each of us needs to follow the Great Commission: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
It is such a blessing to be a Sabbath School teacher.
