What Did You Learn Today?

We spent last week at children’s camp. I surprised myself on Thursday evening during the worship time. This is what I learned.

I first met this boy on Sunday night, the first night of camp when he and two of his friends decided, against camp rules and when he should have been elsewhere, to try and “scare” the girls by lying in the meadow and suddenly turning on their flashlights. Another counselor and I chased them out of there saying – do you WANT to lie down on a snake?? So, this child and I started out with a bad first impression. Turns out he was in the Bible study group I attended with my son, so I had more exposure to him. His behavior was irritating at best and after a time, I found myself truly bothered by him and one of his friends. I heard later that his counselor in his cabin was having a lot of trouble with him and it just made my feelings toward him even worse. Then, one morning, while we were at Bible study, the leaders split the boys into three groups and they asked me if I would take one group and lead them through some questions.

While I was going through the questions with them about Noah, this child asked me if God was going to flood the earth. When I explained that this had already happened, some of the boys started talking about the end of the world. He was very interested in “the end” of the story and wanted to know everything that happened in Revelation. One of his friends was a strong Christian, I could tell, and he and I started talking to him about some of the end times but more importantly why we had to be ready in our relationship with the Lord. Over the next three days, he kept asking more and more questions about how to be saved and what he should say and how and what would the end of the world be like. He was so hungry.

And without even knowing, without even really noticing, I found myself loving this boy, this unruly, rude, boy covered in dirt. I found myself burdened for him and I realized quite suddenly that I was seeing him the way Jesus sees him. There I sat Thursday evening nearly weeping for him and praying that the Lord would draw him near. I found myself chuckling a little bit at myself. What did I learn? That I look like that dirty unruly little child, too, when my Savior sees me. And he loves me anyway. I learned that I don’t deserve to see anyone with my own proud eyes. And I pray I never do.

I love you, Nick, wherever you are and I promise to keep you in my prayers.