Children's Sermon

A few Sundays ago, Pastor Bob invited the children to the front of the church for a children’s sermon.  He had the shorter of the children stand on the second step in front of the church and the taller children on the floor, facing each other.  That way, he explained, the children stood eye-to-eye.   

No one had to look up to anyone, and no one looked down on anyone. 

He had them give “high fives” to the student on the other side of the line.  The children agreed that it was easy to look at each other and play with each other when they were all on the same level.

Next, he had them fold their arms in front of their chests.  Finally, he had them turn away from each other.  He asked if they could play with each other like that.  They agreed they could not.

You can’t learn to play with someone with your arms folded in a defensive posture.  You can’t learn anything about another person with your back turned to him or her.

Sometimes, the children’s sermon speaks as much to the congregation as the homily does.  Often, the adults need to be reminded, over and again, of the basic attitudes of our faith. 

In order to build trust, you first have to have an affinity to the other.  In order to build affinity, you have to communicate.[i]

And in order to communicate, you have to face the other, arms at your side or, better yet, stretched out in welcome.

Kids can figure that out.  We should be able to re-learn it as well.

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[i] See the March 9 blog about Trust.