Cheating the Children

I was talking with my pastor today after the service. He expressed to me his disappointment that there were no children present in church today, so he could not give a childrens' message. Initially, I was happy to hear that he was looking forward to delivering a childrens' message. There are many things that go on as a part of liturgical worship that have little, if any meaning for children.

It is what he said next that was so troubling to me, "I like to use the childrens' message as a 'cliff's notes' version of the full message." I was shocked. Apparently, the one part of the service that I thought was for the children, was actually another angle on the adults. He used those children.

As older believers, we have a responsibility to younger believers. They deserve to the Gospel message just the same as the adults. I pray to God that this is not a common practice among pastors.

We have a lot to learn from children. I personally wish that I could recapture some of that wonder that I see in a child's eye. As much as I love the study of theology, and delving into all that there is to know, I would love even more to see God simply, as I did when I was a child.