THE REAL PROBLEM
Have you ever noticed how rowdy and rambunctious young children can
be? They certainly introduce a
disruptive element into the Sunday morning services of most congregations. Sometimes it is hard to concentrate and
listen to the sermon because of the distracting sound of crying babies. Little ones crawl on the pews, over the pews,
and under the pews, making it quite difficult for those sitting around them to
maintain a worshipful mood during the weekly communion service. Furthermore,
the rattling and clatter of noisy toys can easily become the source of
unwelcome irritation when sincere Christians are trying to focus their thoughts
in prayer.
But, while all of the above might be true, that is not the real
problem. The real problem is when there
are no little children in the congregation whatsoever. The only thing worse than crying babies and
running children is no babies and no children.
Several years ago, I preached in a meeting for a twenty-member
congregation in rural Oklahoma. It was a
congregation composed exclusively of senior citizens. They were so pleased on the last night of
that meeting when my wife and children were in attendance. Two elderly ladies cornered me after the
final prayer. One of them asked, “Do you
know what my favorite part of the whole week was? After it was all over…it was wondrous to have
children running in the building again!”
The second lady began to cry as she said in a trembling voice, “It was
so good to hear a baby crying in the auditorium.” After an emotional pause she concluded, “It
has been so long”.
The real problem is not noisy or unruly children; the real problem is
when there are no children in the congregation. If you are part of a vibrant
congregation brimming with energetic children, then, please try to be more
patient and strive to communicate to young families that children are a
welcomed presence in your assemblies. Go
out of your way to praise mothers and fathers for their hard work instead of
criticizing them too harshly when their newborn babies and young toddlers find
it difficult, if not downright impossible, to sit still for an entire
hour. Most importantly, strive to see
precious little boys and girls for exactly what they are, the future life of
God’s church and the rich resource of eternal blessings. The Psalmist says it best:
Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The
fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are
the children of one's youth. Happy is
the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall
speak with their enemies in the gate. (Psalms 127:3-5)
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