Optimist Roundtable 8/26
By Marth Sykes
It’s that time of year when I think a lot about kids!! It’s almost time for school to begin and after so many years of teaching, that first day of school feeling never goes away!! Since this pandemic started, the school year has certainly changed in many ways and here we are again wondering what will happen in our schools. Last year, the students did a great job wearing their masks and never complaining, but it was a difficult year in many ways for our teachers and staff at our schools. We can pray that God will watch over our children no matter what the age! Many of our graduates have gone off to college and thankfully, they can now live on campus and experience life on their own. Maybe our high school seniors will have a closer to “ normal” year as they live out their last year of school!!
As much as Jesus accomplished as He traveled around teaching, preaching, and healing, He always took time for children. He touched the untouchable, healed the hopeless, spent time with the unfair taxpayers, but He also cuddled the little ones. In Luke 18:16 , we are reminded of the words of Jesus when He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will ever enter it”.
Kids can always amaze me as they love to learn!! This summer we held a three day Vacation Bible School and the kids that attended were very enthusiastic as they learned Bible verses and heard the Bible stories. The little ones listened to every word as I taught the early childhood class!! I read this quote a long time ago and it is one that I have in my heart always” If we don’t teach our children to follow Jesus, the world will teach them not to”. My heart is saddened when I think of children who don’t know who Jesus is and that He loves them so much.
Even though we can’t control what goes on in the world, we can care for the children around us and show them how to live as we set examples for them in our daily lives. It is so important that our kids know we care!! Our greatest concern for our children should be that they grow to love God above all else. As the school year begins, please pray for our students, our teachers and staff, our cafeteria workers, our bus drivers, and our administrators.
They all touch lives in some way !!
