ROOTED IN LOVEā½ HOME
There’s something I’ve noticed during my time volunteering in children’s ministry. Whether it’s on Wednesday nights with the preschoolers, at kids’ camp with the elementary students, or at home with my own two kids, there’s one thing that always rings true.
Kids just want someone to care about them.
They want someone to show up and be there for them. Someone who listens to them and truly cares about what they have to say. Someone they can trust and rely on in a world full of chaos.
Looking back on my own time in youth group, I can echo this exact sentiment. I can probably only tell you a few lessons that were taught, but I can vividly remember the leaders. Why? Because they gave their time and energy to pour into me and a bunch of other rowdy kids every single week. They pointed us to Christ because they loved us and wanted us to know Him. They cared about us and prayed for us and made us feel seen.
Isn’t that really what all of us want? To be known and loved and cared about? From children up to senior adults, that’s what it all boils down to.
We just want someone to care.
So maybe we can make it our mission today, this week, the rest of this year, to make sure people feel cared about. Maybe it’s the cashier in the grocery store or the mailman. Maybe it’s a teacher or a coach. Maybe it’s your husband or your kids. Each day we cross paths with someone we can be a source of light to. A shoulder to lean on. A hand to hold. A bright spot in an otherwise gloomy day.
Sometimes all it takes is a smile to make someone feel seen. Sometimes it might be a hug. A card or a note just to say hi. A few dollars to help with a hard time. A meal during a stressful season. Or maybe just sitting and listening while they talk, not to tell them what to do, but simply to show that you care.
Being a light in the darkness might sound like a daunting responsibility, but it’s really as simple as spreading kindness to the people around you. And that’s something all of us can do.