James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
We spoke with the kids tonight about trials and the perseverance they produce. We shared examples of what some of those trials might look like for each of us...struggles in school, learning disabilities, strained relationships with parents, difficulty with siblings, parent out of work, being bullied at school, missing mom or dad from the family, money struggles, etc...
We gave the kids a bar of Ivory soap then and some tools and asked them to think of a sculpture they would like to make. After drawing their designs on their bars of soap, we gave them the tools to start carving and sculpting. While they worked, we talked about how God is our Master Sculptor...how we are like those bars of soap in His hands. He uses many different tools to shape our character, our souls, our personalities into the very individuals He designed each of us to be. Sometimes, it feels as though He's using his hands to make us and mold us, caressing us and holding us. Other times, it feels as though he's using a chisel and hammer and not being very gentle at all. Still, every stroke of his hand, every angle of his chisel, every painstaking line or feature drawn into our character is for our own good, for a purpose, and to shape us into who He planned for us to be long before we were ever born.
We spoke to the kids about their responses to God's instruments He uses to mold us into His image. Do we respond with tears and proclamations of giving up? Some of the kids witnessed this as the soap crumbled in their hands. Do we harden our hearts and resolve to solve our own problems? Or do we faithfully persevere, knowing that whatever is going on in our lives is for a reason and for God's ultimate glory? We reminded the kids of the other people all around watching them and their reactions to trials. Is the way they react under pressure in such a way that God is glorified and their faith is evident? Or is it hard to tell them apart from the rest of the world when the going gets tough?
We used a colander and a clear bowl then to show them God's will for their lives. In the colander we put some sand, sticks, dirt, and other debris. We called these things the trials of life. Pouring water through the colander then, the kids saw how God (the colander) protects us from some of those trials while allowing others to pass through His filter...all to test us, melt us, and mold us into His unique creations.
Lastly, we showed the kids a clip from the movie Cool Runnings, based on the 1988 Jamaican Olympic bobsled team. They were a tropical country competing in a cold-weather sport. They had very little practice and they had to borrow spare sleds from other countries to compete. They definitely stood out from the rest of the teams competing. Still, they persevered. And everyone was watching. In their final race at the Calgary games, disaster struck as they lost control of their sled. As rescue teams approached to help them, they determined to finish the race they'd started. They ended the race walking across the finish line carrying their sled on their shoulders. They didn't win the race, but they finished the race.
Finishing our race as believers is the most important aspect of our lives. This race that we're on as believers in Jesus is a symbolic way of understanding our relationship with Him. We don’t have to be the next Joah, Miss Kim, Mr. Wes, Pastor Mike or whichever Christian we look up to. We just have to finish the race. We can come in 2nd, 17th or dead last, but we have to finish! It's called remaining faithful.
The course isn’t an easy one. There are bumps and hurdles along the way. There will be suffering and heartache along the way. But we have to do what Paul did when he faced the many trials he faced...or what Derice, the captain of the Jamaican bobsled team in Cool Runnings did. Get up and finish the race. That’s the only way to get the crown Jesus has in store for us. And that crown is worth everything negative we face here.
We ended with one of the greatest promises in Scripture.
1 Peter 5:10 - And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
We gave the kids homework tonight. We asked them to read Hebrews 11 and then write down who in this "Hall of Faith" is the greatest example to them, why, and what they can learn from their example.
