Gina Caswell Kelly
School has gotten started for most people. I went early yesterday morning and took pictures of the Senior Class all gathered out front of the school. I really love this class. It is my grandson’s class, so I have known most of them for nearly their whole lives. They are actually a pretty good bunch of kids. But, as each Senior Class comes in, I am reminded of how few days I have left with them. Oh, I know I am not at school each day. Many of them may not really even know me. Nevertheless, I have watched them grow and prayed for them along the way.
When I say my time is running short with them, I mean your time is also. We have really about 18 years to impact a child’s life for the Lord. Sure, we may have more days with them, but 18 years, for the most part, is all we really have to help grow them in to what God has in mind for them to be. I got just a few minutes to talk with the football team yesterday. I weighed my words carefully, again knowing that might be last time in front of them as a group.
We have got to start being more mindful of the precious time we have with our children. We have seen so many grow up and miss the Christian influence on their lives that is so important. A young man in another town died this past week. I had the pleasure of having a short time with him when he was very young. Not enough time. He was not living a life that was exactly what was planned out for him. Who knows why. But I have been looking back on my time with that little five-year-old boy and wondering what I could have done different, even that far back. Our time is precious and limited!
Jesus really loves kiddos. He talks about them in His Word. When the disciples were trying to send the kids away, so Jesus could talk to the adults, Jesus stopped them. “Let them come to Me,” He said. “For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” He also says, “It is better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.” Jesus values our influence on His children. All of them.
So, as this school year gets going, I am asking you to set aside some time each day to pray for these babies and those who have influence upon them. Set your alarm. I have two alarms set on my phone that go off each day, during the day to remind me to pray for those in need. Do it. Use that reminder to pray for the kids, but also to pray that your heart will be open to the Holy Spirit’s tugging in your life to reach out to these kids and be where and who God wants you to be in their lives. Be an encourager to them. Be a teacher to them. Do not ever cause one to stumble because of your words or actions.
As I said in the beginning, our time is short with our babies. Use it wisely for God. It will make a difference!!
