Although the main character in this story is fiction, and not based on any particular person, there are children at our VBS this week that we have seen God working in their hearts. Many have toughened their attitudes as a device to cope with difficult situations. Please pray that God's Word will soften their hearts and draw them to Himself - that they will learn to trust in the One who will love them and be with them always.
THE GIRL IN THE BACK ROW
The girl in the back row had her fingers in her ears. Fifty
kids wiggled and waited for the missionary story, so they could slip down the
big water slide. I might not have noticed the new girl, but her scrawny elbows
stuck straight out, and she had her fingers in her ears.
I had never seen her
at summer day camp before. Most of the kids knew each other from school or
church. They squished together in clusters – forming cliques and excluding
others – like the girl in the back row – the one with her fingers in her ears
and the scowl on her face.
Her bangs were too long. Occasionally, she tossed them out of
her eyes – until someone spoke to her. One of the leaders sat next to her. She
scooted to the other end of the pew and hid behind her curtain of hair
Her eyes met mine as I opened my missionary book, and I
smiled at her. Her eyelids narrowed, and she pretended to be interested in
something outside. I tried to focus on the story I was telling, but I continued
to watch the girl in the back row.
“Since there are new kids here today, can anyone tell me
where we left little Tifam?”
Fingers wiggled like a bed of sea anemone. I chose one.
“There was an earthquake. Tifam’s mother hurt her foot, and they had to go the
mission house.”
I showed the page of Tifam and her mother at the mission
house. The girl in the back row stood to see the picture better, but her
fingers were still in her ears. I sent up a quick prayer. Lord, give me the words to reach into the heart of this girl.
“Tifam was frightened. What would her Papa say? He was the
witch doctor. He might put a curse on them.”
The girl’s elbows drooped. Soon she dropped her hands to her
side.
“Tifam clutched the magic charm around her neck. The spirits
would keep her safe. Where was her mother’s charm? …”
Now she was sitting on the edge of the pew. I caught her
eye, and she slumped backwards and ducked behind her hair again.
“The missionary opened her book. Tifam didn’t want to
listen. She covered her ears and whispered, ‘Lies! Lies! Lies!’ Tifam could
still hear the missionary’s words. ‘God loves you. He loved you so much that He
died for you.’ The missionary read, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but
have everlasting life.’ Tifam had never heard of a God that loved her.”
I turned the page, and the girl leaned forward to see the
picture again.
“Tifam’s mother said, ‘I’ve stolen and lied and hated
others. Why would this God love me?’ The missionary said, ‘God loves you and
wants to forgive you.’ “
I looked at the rows of faces. “We have all sinned – every
one of us – me, too. We have disobeyed our parents. We have told lies. We have
gotten angry. We have stolen things. All of those are sins, and God hates sin.
He is holy and can’t let any sin in heaven…. But he loves us and wants us to be
in heaven with Him.”
I saw her rest her forehead on her arm. Lord, give me the right words.
“God wants us to go to heaven, so he sent His Son, Jesus, to
earth. Many people did not like Him. Some arrested Him and beat Him. They
nailed Him on a cross to die.”
I paused, and there was silence. The girl in the back looked
up for a second. Her eyes were wide and sad.
“Jesus wanted to die, because He loved us. The punishment
for sin is death. He wanted to die for all our sins, so we could go to heaven.
He died for my sins, and He died for your sins.” I pointed to myself, to a few
of the children, and to the girl in the back row. She looked at me. There were
tears.
“God can forgive your sins, too. Bow your heads. Pray with
me. ‘Lord, I’m sorry for my sins…”
As the director announced the team points, I walked past the
girl in the back row. She looked up with tears still in her eyes and smiled.
