A Children's Lesson - February 12, 2006

Children’s Lesson – February 12, 2006
Theme: Speaking the Truth in Love
Text: John 4.4-18

When a boy February brought great delight to my friends and I.
It wasn’t Valentine’s Day that put a zing into our hearts . . . I’m not sure many of us boys liked Valentine’s Day.
It wasn’t the Farm Show in Louisville that revved our motor up. We didn’t know about it. Although if you’re looking for something fun to do this next week ask your parents to take you to the state fair grounds and see all the new farm machinery.
We got excited about baseball. February brought the start of spring training that’s when all the professional players start practicing. It was a signal to us that spring was just around the corner and then we’d begin our practices.
We had big dreams, my friends and I. We’d throw the ball back and forth, or sit and drink a Pepsi, and we’d talk about which team we were going to play for – most of us wanted to play for the Detroit Tigers.
While we had big dreams, none of us made it. A few of our friends played in college, but none went on to play in the big leagues. The truth was we weren’t good enough. We weren’t the best of the best.
That could have been disappointing, but it wasn’t because most of us had folks around us; parents, family, coaches, and pastors that loved us and encouraged us to seek the truth.
So we may have not been the best of the best in baseball, we found other things that God made us for. Love and truth went hand in hand to lead us to places where we find great joy.
My friends and I still like baseball. We hope some of you will learn to play the game and learn its lessons.
Yet most of all, we hope you know that God loves you and we pray that you’ll seek truth now and always.

Heavenly Father – thank you for these girls and boys who are in your house today. Bless them with parents, family and friends who will love them and guide them in truth so that one day they will feast at your heavenly table. Amen.
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Two Post Scripts:
1) When giving this lesson at one our services the kids were rather rambuxious and engaged mightily. I was unsure if I was going topeculiar

2) A peculiear person offered left the following list on my desk after the service:
"Valuable Lessons of life learned from Baseball"
- It's okay to steal if you are fast
- It's okay to be off base as long as you don't get caught
- flies are hard to catch