What the children think
Last week at WAM rehearsal I had a conversation with Dylan, who is now FOUR, and then his mom told us a story that made me think about what the world looks like through the eyes of children.
Dylan and I were playing on the floor by the stage and I was pointing out all the different instruments and people singing and suddenly he pointed at our stained glass window and asked me "Is that Jesus?" So I told him "That's a picture of Jesus in the window." And then the following conversation took place
Dylan: Jesus died ... his arms are like that on the cross
me: Yes he did. He died so that we can all go to heaven.
Dylan: If that's Jesus, then is that heaven?
me: It's a picture of Jesus. They painted a picture of Jesus on the glass on the window.
Dylan: Why can't I see him? [it was dark outside, hence the windows were not lit]
me: You can't see it because it's dark outside so the window isn't lit up.
Dylan: Jesus is supposed to be lighted all the time!
me: Well Dylan, it's just a picture. And when the sun comes out then you can see all of the picture.
Dylan: [very matter of factly] Jesus loves ME!
me: Yes he does
Then Dylan's mom, Michele, told JJ and me a story about how Dylan had seen pictures of the aftermath of Katrina and how he had heard that lots of people had died in the hurricane or as a result of it. And he asked his mom, "Mommy, if all those people died ... are they in heaven with Jesus now?"
When Dylan started going to HopeTown at newhope he was just about 2 and since then Amy Lynn and the rest of her children's ministry has made him so aware and so thoughtful about Jesus and the role that Jesus plays in other people's lives. God bless our children's ministry - you guys are awesome.