Allie slid into the stool next to Peyton at the ice cream shop. “How was your week?”
“Not too bad.”
“Any news on the guy from your history class? Has he asked you out yet?”
Peyton shook her head. “No. We talked a couple of times this week, but not for more than a minute or two. I’m not sure whether that will go anywhere or not.” She pushed a stray hair behind her ear. “I was meaning to ask you. How has teaching Sunday School been going? You haven’t told me anything about it.”
Allie’s smile faded. “It’s OK.”
“Whoa. The look on your face says otherwise. Aren’t you enjoying it?”
“I enjoy it, but I don’t think I’m good enough.”
“Not good enough to teach Sunday School to 4th graders?”
Allie accepted a glass of water from the waitress. “No, I’m really not. I think I need to study for a couple years and then teach. These kids have such good questions and I don’t know all the answers.”
“Who said you had to know all the answers?”
“I’m their teacher. I should know them. The Bible said teachers are held to a higher standard. What if I tell them something wrong?”
“Oh, sweetie,” Peyton said. “I think what you need right now is a little encouragement. Philippians 1:6.”
“I don’t know the reference. See, that’s my point.”
“Philippians 1:6 says ‘He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ God isn’t finished with you yet. Of course you don’t know everything. When the kids ask you something and you don’t know the answer, tell them you’ll get back to them. They’ll respect you for being honest.”
Allie swirled the cubes of ice with her straw. “I’m afraid my best isn’t good enough. How can I be sure God can really use me?”
“Paul had something else to say in that same chapter,” Peyton said. “He was in jail, and there were other people taking advantage of that to try to build their own ministries. Hold on. Let me get the exact words.” She pulled her phone from her purse and started tapping. “Here it is. Verses 15-19.”
“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”
Peyton put her phone away and laid her hand on Allie’s arm. “If God can use the people who were preaching out of selfish ambition, he can certainly use someone like you who has a pure heart and wants to teach children about Him. Paul said as long as Christ is preached, it’s worth rejoicing. God is pleased with your heart to serve.”
“Thanks. I’ll pray about it some more. Now let’s get some ice cream.”
Sunday morning, Allie prayed as she waited in her classroom for her kids to arrive. Determined to be used by God, she spent extra time studying the day’s lesson. Only one word was impressed upon her heart. Love.
Moments later the children started arriving and gathered around her, offering hugs. With each hug, Allie’s spirit lifted. Maybe all these kids needed was to know she cared. Aiden handed her a picture. Her eyes filled as she studied it.
“It’s you with all of us,” Aiden said. “You’re the tall one.”
It wasn’t the height of the stick figure that caught her attention. It was the hearts surrounding it. Yes, God was certainly using her. Maybe not to dissect complex theological truths, but to fill these kids’ hearts with the Father’s love.
Exodus 4:10-12
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
Lord God, we don’t have to know everything about the Bible to serve You. As You were with Moses when he needed the words to say, You are also with us. Help us to remember the most important thing to do when serving You is to act in love. You’ll give us the words to say. Help us be Your hands and feet; Your arms for hugs, Your hands for wiping away tears. Thank you for giving us Your word. As we step out to serve You, Lord, in whatever that looks like, thank You for Your promise to go with us along the way. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
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