Greet the Children Too.  Don’t Overlook them.

OVERLOOKING THE OBVIOUS

(A blog written by Rev. Grace Verrier.) (Used with permission.)

Last Sunday when I was about to enter the door of the church, the greeter (who is a really friendly person) opened his arms to give me a hug and welcome me.  However, out of the corner of his eye he spied some old friends who were about two meters behind me and he immediately pivoted his body and moved away from me to greet them with an exuberant embrace.  I know that he did not overlook me on purpose and that his happiness to see old friends overwhelmed his manners for the moment.  However, it made me realize that every week the same thing I experienced happens to the children in our church.  Adults greet other adults at the door but nobody greets the children.  It happens again when the pastor asks us to greet one another during announcement time.  Adults reach over the child beside them to an adult two chairs away to shake hands with them or hug them.  The children either stand feeling rejected or with fear of being smothered.  (Imagine being caught between two embracing giants.)  It often happens that when I do look toward children and reach out to greet them they turn to look behind them to see who I am greeting because they are so accustomed to being ignored.  I am reminded that Jesus didn’t overlook the children.  “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14)

 

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