When we first started going to our church here, I started going up to Sunday School with my boys. I went with them because I wanted to help them integrate into our church and I knew they would be most comfortable with me around. It also provided that added advantage that the teaching was at my language level, where as the sermon was WAY above that level. Before I knew it I was asked to help out and eventually start teaching. It made sense to me as I was there and my language ability was gradually growing. This also gave the added benefit that I could participate in the kids camp which I also wanted my boys to be able to attend.
Teaching little kids was never something that I saw as a strength, but it was a means to an end and I did grow to appreciate those kids. This year as we had a teachers meeting we realized that we were very short in numbers as a few were unable to help this year because of having new babies or other major life events. Suddenly this was becoming a huge commitment and to by honest my attitude stunk! I sat there and asked myself why I was being so negative about this. I realized up until now I had just been just doing a task, sure I loved the kids, but I enjoyed the Sundays more when I didn’t have to teach. Eventually this had led to my terrible attitude, but I was convicted that I needed to see this as the opportunity it was… an opportunity to teach God’s truth to our little ones. Finally I decided that I needed to just take ownership of this and make it my own. So I moved up to the medium class that had no teacher and decided that I would teach it the way I wanted to teach it and invest the time that was necessary to make it good.
The switch of attitude made a huge difference. I have taught now 2 months in a row and have missed the sermon every Sunday, but I am enjoying the chance to create a consecutive lesson that builds on past Sundays making the most that I can of it.
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