Recently I read of a young boy in Ecuador, who was run over by a huge truck. It was such a tragedy. He was crossing the road with a friend to attend the Compassion program in their area but was killed instantly. Children don’t often attend funerals in Ecuador, at least that is the cultural norm but at this 6 year-olds funeral there were 60 kids in attendance. One by one they spoke of how their friend had led them to Jesus. Over 50 kids had been led to the Father by one little 6 year-old boy.
I have been involved in occupational ministry in the church for over 20 years and I have not led 50 people to Jesus. How am I to respond to such a story? Should I examine the evangelistic methods of this 6 year-old? Should I examine my own ministry and correct my own evangelistic weaknesses? Should I train harder to become the ‘big capacity leader’ that has been presented at various conferences? Whereas once I would have been tempted to try all these methods, now I recognise that rather than becoming a more competent minister of the gospel, I simply want to become more like a child myself. Jesus said that heavenly things are hidden from the wise and learned but revealed to little children. I want to become more childlike in my relationship with God. Jesus could do nothing of himself but only what He saw the Father doing. I am allowed to be weak, allowed to be simple, allowed to be small. Now I simply rejoice in the way God uses anyone, big or small, male or female, anytime in their lives.
We can learn from children. Children are weak and vulnerable. These are worthy attributes, especially helpful in a society of sophisticated adults. Even the apostle Paul was once sophisticated but over time he saw the reality of his own weakness, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
– Jim Watt 23.9.12