All during The Gathering’s worship time last night, I was aware of the kids in our midst. Worship in a gathering of Christ-followers is both personal and corporate. We sing songs, blending the sound of our own voice in with the voices of others, creating a spiritual synergy—a transcendent sense of God’s presence among us. We can encounter God in worship. There is an old church saying that “the Lord inhabits the praises of his people,” and I think that is true. But to reach that place in worship requires attention and focus. We must be trying to reach and see God. For the most part, the kids—whether in church or any other place—aren’t trying to reach anything except their own place of fun. They can’t sit still (for long), they can’t focus (for long), they usually don’t sing (for long). But they do all of the above for a bit. (Please don’t stop reading here).
Last night’s Gathering was focused on hospitality. 1 Peter 4:8–9 says, "Above all, hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another." Hospitality is something that requires practice; it is the practical side of saying that you “love your neighbor.” Hospitality is the move from theory to application. Since Peter encourages us to “practice hospitality” and to do it “ungrudgingly,” because “love covers a multitude of sins,” you get the idea that it probably doesn’t come naturally. It is like learning how to date. First dates are frequently awkward. We are learning how to be with someone we like, may one day love, but don’t yet know very well. It is awkward and scary and frequently uncomfortable, but still worth doing. Peter and Paul both encourage us to “practice hospitality.” Practice moves a thing from strange and awkward to familiar and enjoyable. The more we do it, the easier it becomes for the joy and beauty to begin to emerge.
The kids in our fellowship are a reminder of where we all are in our journey with God. They quietly fidget and move and make muffled noises and chase their own muse. Occasionally, they notice their parents worshiping and listening. Occasionally, they listen as well. Rich Mullins used to say that as a child, he loved church because it was the only place he could hear men sing. Kids are observing, even as they play.
I am never distracted by the kids. I love it that they are there and feel like they are a treasure in our midst. I am thrilled that watching their parents and others worship God will be in the mix of their earliest memories. They are barely interested now, but as they grow, they will learn and transform into people who believe and worship. I am so excited for the small evidences that demonstrate they are developing an interest in spiritual things. I love all of their “off the wall” answers in the Kid’s Moment.
In scripture, we are referred to as “Children of God.” I believe that the Lord looks at each of us the way I do at the children at our gatherings. I believe that he is more excited about our potential than he is about our squawks and distractions. We are defined in his eyes by what he is calling us to, our potential, more than by our present behavior and situation. He loves us and is thrilled by the parts of his kingdom that we embrace. Loving each other is one of the things that God is thrilled for us to get right—and hospitality is the practical expression of our love for each other. We are encouraged to “practice” loving each other by inviting one another into our homes. We are told to start eating together, talking to each other, telling one another our stories. We are called to love each other the way God loves us, and so we start by “practicing hospitality.
And that is all I have to say about that . . . for now
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