If I was a Sunday School Teacher... What would I say to the children?

[Neogaia777]

First off, I do not think I would make a very good one, but, since the subject was brought up to me, I'll tell you... I do not think I would make a very good Sunday School Teacher, or teacher of babes, at all, in fact, I'm pretty sure I'd be terrible at it, and I'm about to tell you and show you "why"...

First, I'd say to them: "Children, you need to know that one day, ONE DAY, you are going to die... It could happen very soon... In fact, it could happen tomorrow, or even in the next moment... Something terrible you do not expect to happen, in the very next moment, could happen to you very suddenly, and you die... Perhaps and accident you don't expect... For example, getting hit by a car crossing the street... Or, you and your parents getting into a car accident and you die in it... Anything, ANYTHING at all could happen to you very suddenly and you die instantly because of it... I want you to "think" about this please, little children... Long enough to think about the fact that you could die at any moment..." (I'd pause, read them, and judge by that as to when to continue, then, continue)

Then I'd say to them: "When you have thought about this, dear children, please do not let it scare you or make you sad or cry, but, please, little children, allow it to make you think very deeply about exactly "How" you should live...? "How" you should act...? "How" you should behave...? Children, "think" about this deeply for a moment..." (I'd pause to study the children's faces and body language so as to judge by that when I should continue...) Then, I'd say to them: "But, you might not die children, until you are very, very old... The point I am trying to make to you, dear children, is that you do not, and cannot, absoultely "CAN NOT "know" ANYTHING about this, for sure..."

"You do not know "what" could happen... You could die tomorrow, or, you might not... You could live to be old and gray and have little children and grandbabies of your own, or you might not, you just don't know... Please do not be afraid or be sad or cry about this, little children... Just know that whether you die tomorrow, or live for a very, very long time, one day, ONE DAY, you will die... Think about this, and upon this, and ponder this, dear children... Then, ask yourself, "What should you do...?" "How should you live...?" "How should you act...?" "How should you behave...?" (I'd pause for a minute, read them, and continue)

I'd then ask them: "Do you believe in God, little children...?" Then I'd say: "I do, little children... I believe he is real... And not only that, but, I believe he waits for us, to claim us, and to take us to be and live with him, after we die, in this life... And I also believe he is with us all, all around us, right now, in this life, here with us, right now, watching over us, protecting us... And, that he want's only the absolute very best for "all" of us, every single one of us, every single one of you... And, I believe he loves us all, that he loves (I may even point to and use names) That he loves you, Jimmy... That he loves you, Suzie... And you, Bobby... He loves us all so very, very much from the bottom and deepest part of his, big, kind and gentle, loving and caring, Big ole heart..."

"And, that he want's only the very best for us all, in life... So, children, you may ask, and I encourage all of you to ask yourselves: "What is best for us...?" (I'd give them time to think about this for a minute, perhaps give them an assignment of jotting it (What they thought) down on paper to turn in, and continue...)

Then I'd say: "I'm going to tell you what I think, dear children... Whether we should die tomorrow, or live for a very, very long, long time, I think it is very important to always do what is right and what is good... Don't you, little children...? Isn't this also what is "best" for us...? All of us...? And, what God want's us to do...?

"I would encourage all of you, dear children, to always, always live your lives "honorably" and in an honorable way and fashion... Always, regardless of anything else, including whether you live, or you die... Always live with honor and in an honorable way... Yes children, honor and respect to all... Honor and respect God, and honor and respect others... Your friends, companions and classmates and, even people you may not like very much... Also, honor and respect, by listening to, your parents, your teachers, and, your elders... "Try" to do this please, dear children... Also, do what is right and good, by being kind to everyone you know and everyone you meet... Do something to show them you care about them, little children..."

Last, but certainly not least, "Love everyone", little children... Not just those that you like, or are friends with, or that like you, but, also those that you don't like, or that don't like you very much... Please, "remember" all of this, and try to do this, little children, and you will do well in life... And God himself will be very pleased with you...

Remember this, little children, and do your best to do it...

With Love, Mr. ________,

God Bless you all!

 

[Neogaia777]

re-posting...

 

[Milo]

Teach them amazing things. If it isn't inherently amazing what you're teaching that's the wrong way of looking at it. Be creative and loud. Don't try and be so creative that you come up with nonsense. You're teaching them actual things, just spicing it up. You shouldn't ask a question and have them sit. You should teach, and look to see if they caught it or not. If you ask a question and have them sit and ponder then it just runs in the back of their minds and they probably don't care enough to fully investigate most of them anyways.

 

[Big Drew]

Very nice post...makes me think of some things I've been given some revelation on recently.

For years I just kind of thought if I did things like read the Bible, pray, go to church on Sunday, etc...that this was enough...but lately I'm seeing that there's so much more to it than that. These things are good, but we should be constantly "about the Father's business."

When we interact with others, as you said, being kind and courteous and loving...even to those that may not be our favorite people, or we may not be theirs. And do it, not because of any reward we might gain, or because of any commandment that was given to us...but simply because it's the right thing to do...if we want to be treated with respect we have to give respect to everyone else.

Since I've begun understanding what walking in faith means...I say begun, because there's still much to be learned, and much I'm sure I never will...but, I notice that I'm not as easy to anger as I had been, that I tend to be more patient with the children, that instead of giving someone an unfriendly finger on the highway I just laugh and shake my head...I'm not saying this to be boastful, God knows I still have my moments where I get frustrated...but I want to be more like Him, I want to know more about Him, and in becoming like Him, I'm finally realizing what it means to die to self. I'm seeing that being a Believer is so much more than just saying a sinner's prayer and memorizing scripture...it's about how we live each day, and each day we should be living for Him.

 

[Neogaia777]

Very nice post...makes me think of some things I've been given some revelation on recently.

For years I just kind of thought if I did things like read the Bible, pray, go to church on Sunday, etc...that this was enough...but lately I'm seeing that there's so much more to it than that. These things are good, but we should be constantly "about the Father's business."

When we interact with others, as you said, being kind and courteous and loving...even to those that may not be our favorite people, or we may not be theirs. And do it, not because of any reward we might gain, or because of any commandment that was given to us...but simply because it's the right thing to do...if we want to be treated with respect we have to give respect to everyone else.

Since I've begun understanding what walking in faith means...I say begun, because there's still much to be learned, and much I'm sure I never will...but, I notice that I'm not as easy to anger as I had been, that I tend to be more patient with the children, that instead of giving someone an unfriendly finger on the highway I just laugh and shake my head...I'm not saying this to be boastful, God knows I still have my moments where I get frustrated...but I want to be more like Him, I want to know more about Him, and in becoming like Him, I'm finally realizing what it means to die to self. I'm seeing that being a Believer is so much more than just saying a sinner's prayer and memorizing scripture...it's about how we live each day, and each day we should be living for Him.

I wasn't going to assume that you were boasting or mocking by laughing, but, do you know why you laughed...?

Let me take a stab at it... Maybe because "you've been there"...? You've "been him" before, and was (past tense) him before... But, not now, now you find it humorous... Not laughing at them, but laughing at yourself and how silly now you now think it was of "you", when "you" were and used to be "there" and doing it/that before... And it just seems so "silly" now...

Am I close...? Your further along the path/walk/journey with God, than you were then, "now"... And when your reminded of how silly you were and used to be by someone else's actions and behavior being what yours once was "back then", is just silly and "funny", maybe even very funny, now...

That kind of humor can get you in trouble with people sometimes though, cause they think your laughing "at them", when your actually laughing "at you"...

I've often wondered if God's sense of humor is this way or not...? I've had to stuff and stifle this kind of laughter many, many times, and it seems even more so, the further I get... Other people are not seeing it the way you are, and I've laughed in some pretty awkward moments around people, and when I did, people began to judge me in a not so good way, and didn't understand...

I laughed a someone mentioning my own very disturbing sounding to others, nightmares that were night terrors, that others were afraid of, and said it, the sounds I would make was very disturbing to them, they said it sounded like someone being tortured... And, I laughed at it... Couldn't help it... And that only made things worse of course...

Anyhow, back to what I was saying... It's like laughing at your children cause they reminded you of you at that age, and when you were like that as a youth/child, in your past... I can recall sometimes my dad laughed, and as a child, I didn't understand why or what he was laughing at, but I do now... And, because I didn't understand it, I didn't pay to much attention to it or give it very much thought at the time as a child, but am kinda remembering now as an adult and understanding it more and more now...

But, with childlike adults, it can get you in trouble, cause they will remember...

Anyhow,

Peace,

God Bless!

 

[Big Drew]

I wasn't going to assume that you were boasting or mocking by laughing, but, do you know why you laughed...?

Let me take a stab at it... Maybe because "you've been there"...? You've "been him" before, and was (past tense) him before... But, not now, now you find it humorous... Not laughing at them, but laughing at yourself and how silly now you now think it was of "you", when "you" were and used to be "there" and doing it/that before... And it just seems so "silly" now...

Am I close...? Your further along the path/walk/journey with God, than you were then, "now"... And when your reminded of how silly you were and used to be by someone else's actions and behavior being what yours once was "back then", is just silly and "funny", maybe even very funny, now...

That kind of humor can get you in trouble with people sometimes though, cause they think your laughing "at them", when your actually laughing "at you"...

I've often wondered if God's sense of humor is this way or not...? I've had to stuff and stifle this kind of laughter many, many times, and it seems even more so, the further I get... Other people are not seeing it the way you are, and I've laughed in some pretty awkward moments around people, and when I did, people began to judge me in a not so good way, and didn't understand...

I laughed a someone mentioning my own very disturbing sounding to others, nightmares that were night terrors, that others were afraid of, and said it, the sounds I would make was very disturbing to them, they said it sounded like someone being tortured... And, I laughed at it... Couldn't help it... And that only made things worse of course...

Anyhow, back to what I was saying... It's like laughing at your children cause they reminded you of you at that age, and when you were like that as a youth/child, in your past... I can recall sometimes my dad laughed, and as a child, I didn't understand why or what he was laughing at, but I do now... And, because I didn't understand it, I didn't pay to much attention to it or give it very much thought at the time as a child, but am kinda remembering now as an adult and understanding it more and more now...

But, with childlike adults, it can get you in trouble, cause they will remember...

Anyhow,

Peace,

God Bless!

That's exactly it...recalling the old me, the childish me.

I have two daughters...and one of them reminds me so much of me that it's scary...I'm glad she's not a boy, because I think sometimes her being a girl is the only thing that saves her, lol.

I'll call my mother when there's been a situation...most recently my daughter tried to forge my signature on a test she failed...I'll tell mom about it, and we'll both have a good laugh, recalling when I did something similar, of course I think mom enjoys it much more than me, she'll say phrases about what payback is that I can't repeat here, lol.

But, yeah, I feel it's much easier to find the humor in things once you've been through it and are now on the other side...but, at the time it wasn't funny, so we do need to keep that in mind for the one that's going through it now.

Like with my daughter...we'll have the discussion...but then I'll have to go away and laugh.

 

[Neogaia777]

That's exactly it...recalling the old me, the childish me.

I have two daughters...and one of them reminds me so much of me that it's scary...I'm glad she's not a boy, because I think sometimes her being a girl is the only thing that saves her, lol.

I'll call my mother when there's been a situation...most recently my daughter tried to forge my signature on a test she failed...I'll tell mom about it, and we'll both have a good laugh, recalling when I did something similar, of course I think mom enjoys it much more than me, she'll say phrases about what payback is that I can't repeat here, lol.

But, yeah, I feel it's much easier to find the humor in things once you've been through it and are now on the other side...but, at the time it wasn't funny, so we do need to keep that in mind for the one that's going through it now.

Like with my daughter...we'll have the discussion...but then I'll have to go away and laugh.

I did the same thing with my daughter, I'd try to stuff it, but just couldn't help it sometimes...

Nice chat,

Peace,

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

Re-posting...

 

[bling]

Remember you will learn more from them than you will teach them. Listening is very important, you are there to guide them, but they can decide which way to go. Going the wrong way for a while (if it will not hurt them) can be a wonderful lesson. Ask questions and let them come up with answers. They want to know you are listening to them, that they count, and you love them.

 

[Ron Gurley]

Jesus loves me! This I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know
As He loved so long ago
Taking children on His knee
Saying, "Let them come to Me."

Jesus loves me still today
Walking with me on my way
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.

Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide
He will wash away my sin
Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way
Thou hast bled and died for me
I will henceforth live for Thee...