This week we were thrilled to offer Camp CrossWalk for our CrossWalk kids! Monday through Friday, our younger CrossWalkers had a blast while learning cool songs, hearing great stories, making amazing crafts, eating incredible snacks, and playing super fun games! Why do we do this? Simply because we love the kids and want to help them have an incredible life. We believe the way of life taught and modeled by Jesus guides them toward the best life for themselves, all others, and the world itself. Here is a recap of the biblical stories we shared with the kids this week, along with the point we were trying to make.
Monday we talked about Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15:11-32 (which should be renamed the Prodigal God). The story is about a son who dishonors his father, himself, and others in the worst ways imaginable. When he finally hit rock bottom, he realized he would be better off as a servant for his father than where he was. He went back, ready to apologize and ask to be nothing more than a servant. Much to his surprise, however, his father was looking for him, hoping that he would one day return. When the son showed up, the father ran to him, embraced him, cleaned him up, fully restored him to his former status, and threw a party to celebrate. This is how God is toward us. Always loving. Always welcoming. Always wanting the best for us. Always with us as we move forward to the depths of wellbeing.
Tuesday we talked about Jesus inviting people to follow him, saying that he would make them fishers of men and women (Mark 1:17-18). Sounds kinda creepy at first glance, doesn’t it? Sometimes its portrayed that way – Jesus turning people into his minions to sell his snake oil door to door. The better way to understand this that we shared with the kids is that Jesus is inviting us to follow him in encouraging people to embrace the way of love in their lives and in the world. What Jesus was saying is what God does all the time, wooing us toward the way of love for ourselves, for others, and for the whole world. Love is the path that seeks wellbeing for everyone and everything on the planet. God always calls all people and all things toward love, for love.
Wednesday, we talked about Jesus’ parable of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). In this story, a man made the fateful decision to walk a perilous journey from Jerusalem down to Jericho alone. This was unwise on his part as that journey was known for high crime rates. Sure enough, he was mugged, beaten to unconsciousness, and left for dead. A priest came upon the scene, but instead of helping, he walked on the other side of the road. A religious man came upon the scene next and avoided the man similarly. Finally, a deeply loathed man came along who everybody in Jesus’ audience thought was an awful person. But instead of being awful, the man stopped, attended to the beaten man’s wounds, hoisted him onto his donkey, and took him to a hotel where he put him up and paid for his care. The point of the story is that the way of love is active, and everybody can do it. The story also suggests that religiosity isn’t worth much if it doesn’t love people who clearly need it. Perhaps you are starting to catch the theme here...
Thursday we taught about the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Zach was short and had probably heard about it his whole life. That may have contributed to him choosing a job that made him an outcast – a tax collector. In those days, the Roman Empire would contract with locals to collect taxes from the people. Tax collectors were notorious for hitting people with bigger tax bills than they owed simply because they could get away with it. Zacchaeus was loathed by his peers – he was a sell-out to their Roman oppressor and cheated his own countrymen for profit. People had to deal with him, but they didn’t want to. When Jesus saw him, he took the way of love, speaking value into him from the start. Hearing love from another changed Zacchaeus’ life. We never know how our loving attitudes and behaviors might contribute to their wellbeing and restoration. Love is powerful.
On Friday, we looked at the story of Jesus walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33), freaking the disciples out, and inviting Peter to come out and join him. Peter walked on water toward Jesus, but as soon as the disciple’s eyes paid more attention to the wind and waves, he began to sink. Jesus rescued him, taking him to the boat, saying, essentially that if he had kept his eyes on him – had faith – he wouldn’t have sunk. Did this story literally happen as it is written, or was it fictionalized history to make a statement about the power of faith when faced with fear? Who cares if it was a literal story – the point is true.
Lots of good stories here. So many things to take away. What’s nudging you?