I did not anticipate working with children again this summer.
Not in the setting that I am, anyways.
Last summer I spent a whole lot of time trying to get children to do things that they didn’t want to do. This summer feels similar, but more difficult, as most of them don’t speak English.
I work in a preschool every morning, and it is hard work. I don’t recommend trying to teach boring things to two and three year olds. Ever. Everything needs to be exciting and entertaining, or they decide to entertain themselves, and then you’ve lost all control. It takes a lot of energy, and a massive amount of patience and perseverance.
As this past week progressed, I became more and more frustrated with the task set before me and the children in my classroom. I began to ask questions.
Is there really a point in me pouring into these kids?
Will they even remember anything I teach them?
Can I really get through to them?
Is this making a difference at all?
A couple of the kids behave so badly all of the time, it seems like an impossibility to even continue trying.
As I was reading through Matthew on Thursday night, I was convicted simply by reading about how Jesus talked about children. They were important to Him when his disciples tried to send them away. He made them a priority. He used their hearts as examples for us in His teachings. He loves them so much. When He told the parable about the shepherd and the lost sheep in Matthew 18 and how he left the ninety-nine to find the one, He was telling us to not look down on little children. They are special. He tells us, “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any one of these little ones should be lost.”
Not a single one. If He is willing to leave the ninety-nine to find the one, and my heart is after His, my heart should be all about loving these kids with persistence. It is not in vain. In fact, it’s extremely important.
Pray that I would continue to have energy and motivation to care for these kids.
Pray that God would work in ways we can’t see, and that I would be okay even if I don’t get to see the results.
Pray that our team would be very unified in purpose to do God’s work and not our own.
