Bend

It's that time again: that crazy week when kids abound in energy to sing, dance, craft, play, listen, and learn about the love of Christ in a fun way. It's Vacation Bible School week. I attended VBS as an elementary schooler, and have been volunteering at it since I was old enough. This year, I'm leading 12 kindergartners through Big Apple Adventure, and only hoping to show them an ounce of God's love for them.

This morning as leaders met for prayer, one of the crew leaders lifted up a child in their group named Sofia. Apparently the little girl is staying with a Christian family in Charlotte for a couple weeks while her Atheist parents move from California to DC (after the move, little Sofia will continue living with her parents and whatnot). How amazing and perfect that she has this opportunity to learn about Christ and have His love poured out on her; for the first time, this child is hearing the name of Jesus! Sitting there, hearing the story about this child, I nearly began crying- I can so easily forget the real reason for VBS, and the real impact it has on these children. ...It's not just a fun way to say "I volunteered this summer" or score some babysitting jobs. It is an important, sometimes life changing time for children that I should feel blessed to be a part of.

This afternoon, still thinking about little Sofia and all the others like her, I stumbled across the wise words of Katie, a missionary in Uganda. Truly, I hope that this week I will continue to bend lower and lower still so that these children see nothing of me, but everything of Christ.

"We bend.

I bend to sweep crumbs and I bend to wipe vomit and I bend to pick up little ones and wipe away tears. I bend over a big pot of stew and I bend to fold endless laundry and I bend over math books and spelling sentences and history quiz corrections. And at the end of these days I bend next to the bed and I ask only that I could bend more, bend lower.

Because I serve a Savior who came to be a servant. He lived bent low. And bent down here is where I see His face.

He lived, only to die.

Could I?

Die to self and just break open for love.

This Savior, His one purpose to spend Himself on behalf of messy us. Will I spend myself on behalf of those in front of me?"