My little world changers

Sometimes I just wonder if we aren't totally missing THE point.

Acts 4:32, "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had."

So, my third graders are traveling through the book of Acts together. Since we started this journey my prayer has been that they would have a seed planted for what God desires His church to be. And He has continually given us opportunities to apply what we are learning to our lives.

First it was the loss of one of their friends in a 4 wheeler accident. We learned how to have everything in common, even our suffering, and how to help meet each other's needs through those times.

But today, as we finished up chapter four I asked them if the people in their church "shared everything they had" and got some mixed reviews...I challenged them to think about their parent's cars, would they just give the keys to someone who didn't have a car? Their homes?

And then we brought it down to a personal level...would you just take any backpack home, and not care if it was "yours"? Would you eat anyone's lunch without complaining that "yours" was better? Or what if we gave up our pencil boxes?

But then we talked about why some of these ideas wouldn't work...

And I posed the question; "What is something you NEED?"

William raises his hand, "I need for my brother and I to stop fighting."

I sat in amazement. "How can we help William meet that need?" I questioned aloud.

"We can pray for him to stop fighting with his brother." The wisdom beyond their years is bringiing me to tears yet again...

"Miss Liddell, can I pray for him?" came the question that truly gripped at my heart.

"Of course." And we prayed.

Another hand, "Miss Liddell, I need my Daddy to have Jesus as his Savior."

"Can I pray?" And we prayed, and I tried to fight back my tears.

"Miss Liddell, we need to pray for Mr. Schulle to ask Jesus in his heart."

Yet another student, "Can I pray?"

There was no stopping the tears this time. Mr. Schulle is the father of the little girl who died recently. Their hearts were still set on salvation for him. Oh God, I want to have their hearts and their faith. Even just a glimmer.

But it didn't stop there. You see, they continued to come up with needs and ways to meet them. And then, it got real practical.

"I need more markers because one time I let people borrow them and I never got any back."
"I need a new pencil box."

And they began to come up with ways to share and meet each other's needs. They went through their own pencils boxes and shared, everything.

And I ask you, how can the world not be changed by a faith like that?

How can we learn to literally and practically apply God's Word with such ease and enthusiasm?

Oh Lord, I am so underserving of these children you have entrusted me with. Give me Your wisdom to lead them towards You...