“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”

—1 Thessalonians 2:11–12 (NIV)

 

  

When my kids were young, you could find me in the same place every morning — sitting at the glass-top table in the corner of my kitchen, facing the large bay window that opened to my backyard. Every day I woke up just a little before my kids, before the whirlwind of activity that characterized that season of my life, to spend some time alone with God.

I did not think anyone was awake to watch me in the savored silence of those morning Bible studies and prayers. But I was wrong.

When my husband suggested that our school-aged daughter was ready to spend some time reading God’s Word on her own, I purchased a kid-friendly devotional with short Scripture passages. We proudly gifted it to her and encouraged her to read it.

The next morning, I crawled out of bed and walked into the kitchen. There was Mackenzie, sitting at the glass-top table in the corner of our kitchen, facing the large bay window that opened to our backyard. When I saw her in the same seat I occupy every morning with God’s Word laid out on her right and a white spiral notebook sprawled open on her left, a lump formed in my throat. She had been watching.

Like parents, Missions Friends leaders have the amazing privilege of influencing the next generation to love and serve the Lord. With that privilege also comes a joyful responsibility.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Paul encouraged his brothers and sisters to “live lives worthy of God.” Why? Because our preschoolers are watching. They are weighing what we say against what we do and learning to stand by observing our walk.

What a joy it is to consider that by leading Mission Friends and living in ways that honor God, we are building a lasting foundation that will help preschoolers grow into the next generation of Christ followers equipped to fulfill His Great Commission!

Prayer:

Father, help us as Missions Friends leaders to make disciples who make disciples by not only teaching preschoolers to learn about, pray for, support, and do missions and tell about Jesus, but also by living out those characteristics in a way that honors You. Amen.

 

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by Alison Howell