Jr.-like salvation (not the department store kind)

If you asked me my favorite ages in children, I would likely say the “tween” years (10-13) followed by two to three year olds and then teenagers overall. I am not certain what this says about my mind’s stability, but I can tell you that there are, in my opinion, no other more crucial times in a child’s life than during those years and in my opinion, in that order. We all know that I received my training in the school of “A Wing and a Prayer” so I must be 100% correct. That and spending the majority of my life raising children and continuing on, as Maureen says, to do so.

There is a certain je ne c'est quoi (I used that term just to try to impress Muscles) about pre-teen children that both attracts and eludes. They have developed their own little selves, are still playful, and are trying to figure out who they want to become, or even whom to pattern after. It’s such a formative time. Those of us that are blessed and responsible to contribute to their edification have a high calling and task ahead.

For many years, I taught the 10 to 13 year old age group at church. I cannot begin to tell you how AWESOME this experience was for me. In fact, I miss it, and miss it a lot. The kids were so inquisitive and attentive. I remember distinctly that I learned as much from them as I tried to share. If I had to pick the one thing I liked most about them was that they are exceptional readers of genuine communication versus canned attempts; they are great doo doo detectors.

If they asked a question about God, they didn’t want “textbook” answers. They wanted experiential answers. They wanted to know what it meant to “me” and why it should mean something to them. Oh, don’t get me wrong, my little group wanted to prove it with their Bibles but wanted to know how to apply and why they should even try to apply it to their lives.

Another reason they are my favorite age group is of all the groups, they are the most real in their skin and in their actions. Life is awkward. Life is always changing and is unscripted. They answer abruptly (the way I sometimes want to), they feel deeply (the way we all should), and they acknowledge they don’t really know what’s going on! I heartily believe that at the core and center of who we are, we are perennial seventh graders waiting for the braces to come off and hit the growth spurt!

I know it’s not always appropriate to be like a seventh grader (just like it’s not appropriate to continue shopping in the Jr.’s department past the age of 22 per Stacey and Clinton from What Not to Wear). But when it comes to salvation, I feel pretty certain that Jesus wants us to bring our awkwardness and grievances of unfairness to Him, just like Juniors tend to verbalize it. I think the kids get the excellent doo doo detection skills from Him! I am also certain He calls some of us to help these “kids” develop the script of their life. That’s even more fun than hitting the mall…