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September 22nd, 2002
Ask any pastor: sometimes the "children's sermon" works; often it does not; always, it is a gamble. And much of the time, the adults present, including the pastor, learn more than the kids do.
This was the case this Sunday, when my goal was to introduce the kids to the parable which would be the basis for their Sunday School lesson. I had with me a bag of chocolates dressed up as gold coins to illustrate Jesus' story of the owner of a vineyard who hires some laborers to work an entire long, hot day, others for the afternoon, still others for just the last hour, and then pays them all the same. In Jesus' story, those who work the full day react with anger and outrage at the unfairness of the deal. Every grown-up who hears this tale can understand why!
But our children weren't thinking that way. I asked them to imagine working at different tasks, for longer times or shorter. I held up the chocolate coins and asked if it would be fair if I gave them all the same reward. With one voice, they shouted "Yes!"
We are reminded--again!--that Jesus
told his disciples to be like children to enter God's kingdom. Life
often is unfair, but we don't help ourselves by focusing on the unfairness.
That only prevents us from seeing that God is generous to all, that
God gives us every thing necessary for our lives, our peace, our joy,
our satisfaction. "My cup runneth over." Life's unfairness
disappears when we ask for the grace to stay grateful!