I was reading a story yesterday about a little Filipino rock quarry worker in Iraq. This worker was apparently a follower of Jesus and one day he had decided to paint the words of John 3:16 on a rock. He painted them in English so his supervisors, who spoke Arabic, would not understand and be offended by it. The person who was guiding the project, however, was an English-speaking Chinese man who was also an atheist at the time. He read the words painted on the rock and understood it. The Holy Spirit moved in his heart and he was eventually converted (Michael S. Lawson, “The Unprecedented Educational Challenge: ‘…Make Disciples of all Nations…'” in Christian Education Journal, Vol. 13 No. 2, Fall 2016, 362.).
It is amazing how the Holy Spirit uses simple things like painting John 3:16 on a rock to draw people into God’s kingdom. In 1 Corinthians 3: 5-9 Paul writes:
“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (NIV)
As we all know, there have been many kids impacted through the ministry of Awana, through our church and churches across the country. As I read stories and Scripture passages like the ones above, it is both humbling and comforting to know that we are not anything except servants and co-workers with God in His kingdom. We are called to be faithful in caring for and teaching those under our care, but everything depends on God, who causes seeds planted in hearts to grow. As you teach children memory verses and truths taken from the Bible, you are planting seeds, but we must remember that God makes them grow.
I am praying for you guys and the ministry of Awana in our church. Please join with me in prayer this week that God would take the seeds you’re planting and cause them to grow into mature fruit and that we can be servants through whom many kids come to believe!