Weekly Reflection, Sunday, August 19, 2018
By: Catherine Ashman
There are often discussions about what it means to live a Christian life, and I have wondered, “Am I living life the way God wants me to?” Often, I feel like I can’t answer this question with certainty. How do I become better about living such a life? I find my answer in Mark 12:31 – “…love your neighbor as yourself, there is no commandment greater than these…” Loving and serving our neighbors is God’s greatest commandment; therefore, is a way to honor and serve Him.
Simple, right? But who is our neighbor? How can we love and serve them? These are two topics I had the privilege of exploring with eleven of St. Mary’s wonderful rising 4th and 5th graders. Each day of our VBS week, we began with scripture by listening for and discussing it’s meaning. Then they used God’s word to go out into the community to serve others. I was so moved by the hearts of these kids who are only 9 and 10 years old. They worked hard at packing snack bags, farming, cleaning, fellowshipping with other kids their age, and more. Throughout the week, I saw the pure happiness and excitement that entered each one of them as they gave up their time to help those in need.
1 Peter 4:10 says that “each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” I consider it a true gift that while working beside our children, I was able to see firsthand the gifts God has given them, including their loving hearts, kindness, empathy, and willingness to work hard to be of service. I was repeatedly impressed by the excitement in their voices as they asked if we could return to the Peter Paul Development Center to spend additional time with the children. Their joy was noticeable as they explained how their actions would affect the community.
The Bible talks about how precious children are, and these 4th and 5th graders this past week were a true example of God’s love. I am humbled and thankful that I was able to be a part of this learning experience with them as we served our neighbors. Together, through scripture and service, we defined what it means to live a Christian life.