Have a Heart For Your Kids

Having a Heart For Your Kids

Have you ever gotten in the flesh and grudgingly done your duty... without having a heart for your kids or actually even caring to even be around those to whom you are supposed to be ministering (*Kristin sheepishly bowing head*)?

But... have you ever experienced the wonderful feeling of walking into your ministry on Sunday morning completely prepared and in tune with what God wants to do with you... and with a heart overflowing with love toward a group of children who may not receive pure, godly love from any other person?

How do we achieve a loving attitude like this? After all, some of those kids can be real brats! They don't even appreciate the hours we pour into this ministry, and they don't even listen half the time! How do you have a heart for your kids when they don't seem to give a rip about you?!

What was Jesus' attitude toward children? "...Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." Luke 18:16

Jesus Christ wants precious children in His presence! His purpose for coming to earth was to seek and to save that which was lost, and this includes children. After all, we were all children at one time or other (and some of us haven't come as far as we might think!).

Pray daily that God will give you a genuine heart for your kids. Spend just a moment every day praying over a few specific children's names and for yourself to find all that God has for you in this ministry. Set a small time aside every day to do this -- maybe when you catch a red light, or use the restroom -- something you know you will be doing on a regular basis! Just talk to the Lord about one or two of the "little children" that He has entrusted to you.

Another sure way to light your heart on fire for your kids is to go to the place where they spend the majority of their lives -- their homes. If you have not implemented a visitation program, you are sure to find that this will work wonders in your heart for your kids. We sometimes cannot fathom living in the situations that some precious children have to endure each and every day. You can be sure that you won't see the worst of it, but when you visit that poverty-stricken bus kid who lives in a shack... or that little rich kid whose folks are always working or socializing but are never around to ask about what he learned in Sunday School... or that shy little girl who couldn't get a word in edge-wise if she wanted because her mama's boyfriend is spouting off at you... or the church kid whose parents attend faithfully but don't seem to be quite what they claim... ONLY THEN will you begin to realize what it means to die to yourself and desire to pour your heart into service for others, as God has called you to do.