Thanks to the Awesome Kid Helpers & a Sweet Coffee-Lovin' Lady

~By Sharon Czerwien

This semester, I have had the FUN privilege of being a substitute for a few my children’s homeschool “extracurricular classes.”

Indoor Soccer & Mashoonga…yes, please!

Subbing for these types of classes was just a tad out of my comfort zone, but the classes also let me see excitement among my children and their classmates/friends.

In these different classes, specific children “saved the day” (and on multiple occasions!). Even in my Mashoonga sub notes, the main teacher told me to ask “so & so” for help in specific activities. I was so thankful when that specific child showed up to class that day.

While subbing for the indoor soccer class, two specific tween boys jumped in to help me find and set up all the equipment. They aired up all the balls and took down the equipment at the end. I didn’t even have to ask them for help. They saw a need and awesomely reacted! By the time I subbed the 2^nd time in this soccer class, I was overjoyed to see those boys in class again. I knew I would have their help with no complaining!

Okay, cool…so what!?

Granted, these homeschool classes have NOTHING to do with the church setting, but I am reminded of what Paul taught about the different roles people play in the church in order to bless the entire church body and to spread the Good News of Jesus.

I encourage you to read Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12.

Each of us has different giftings. Even the “little roles” (there’s no such thing, by the way!) are important (1 Cor. 12:22-23).

Lord-willing, God can allow us to be blessings in the church just like those sweet children blessed me as a substitute. Those kiddos had no idea what  blessings they had been for me by showing up and helping with happy attitudes!

Recent Church Example

Let me end with a short example from a recent church service. A (seemingly) simple act can be a true blessing.

Our church had just finished Communion. (We use those mini disposable cups). The lady in front of us—whom we had never met—had an empty coffee cup. She turned to my family and invited us to throw away our trash into her cup.

It was a genuinely cool ministry of trash—seriously! It was one of the sweetest gestures I have ever seen a stranger do for me at a church.

Let’s creatively see what we can do to bless others around us. Let’s show up like those specific children in class and that sweet coffee-lovin' lady!

Grateful for the helpers,

Sharon