When you think you’re done…

I recently got to spend the day with 10 little girls and 1 boy, ages 4 through 11, talking about prayer while their parents were downstairs studying the same thing. We talked about why we pray, how we pray, what we pray and more. Keeping their attention for two ninety minute sessions was a formidable task, nevertheless I really had a great time with them. I got to hear innocent and beautiful testimonies. I had to field some pretty tough questions, including one on the in-errancy and trustworthiness of Scripture. All in all it was a very good and tiring time. Truthfully, I was relieved to see parents coming to pick up their kids.

One of the little girls, I’ll call her Belle, was bored while waiting for her mom and asked me to play with her. I asked her what we were to play and she replied, “Let’s play house and you can be my daddy.” In this time of play and imagination we ate together. I took her to and picked her up from school. We had a house with a secret passage that required the pushing of the play-dough button and rushing out before the door closed. I got to read her a bedtime story, hug her and kiss her forehead goodnight.

After a tiring day you’d think I would be ready to see her go home with her mom. Instead my heart ached. I hurt because I knew Belle doesn’t have a daddy in her life.  For that brief moment in time I got to live out just a little of James 1:27.  I got to be a daddy to the daddy-less and it changed my heart.

This in mind, I challenge you, when you think you’re done and it’s time for a breather, take a look around and see if there’s someone waiting for Jesus and will never meet Him or know Him if you take a break. I’m not endorsing the burning of the candle at both ends or stewarding your mental, spiritual, emotional or physical health poorly.  Godly stewardship of you and me is of utmost importance.  Instead, I propose that out of all my lesson plans, games, coloring pages and talking with these 11 kids, my time pretending with Belle was when and where I got it right.  I simply said “yes” and got to embody Jesus for a few minutes with someone who needed Him.

What do you think? When are you done?  Tell me your stories of saying “yes”.