Playin Like Saints

To all God’s beloved in Rome who are called to be saints:
Romans 1:7
 
I’ve been taking little lovelies out to recess for a lot of years but I saw a new
recess gave this week! During our religion lessons this week we have been talking about the holy men and women who are in heaven.  We talked about
how they serve as a great example of the way we should love and serve the Lord. We also learn that when people go to heaven they become a part of the communion of saints.  Following up on these lessons I always remind the lovelies on their way out to recess to “play like saints!” They are young, but they get it!
 
I was watching a group of kids play on the jungle gym at afternoon recess and they had all climbed to the top and were all just sitting there talking. 
After a few minutes had passed one of them hollered to me and said,
“Hey Mrs. Wohlfert, didn’t you tell us that anyone living in heaven is a
saint?”  I said “Absolutely!” The little boy who had asked the question turned to the others and said, “See I told you, Jesus is a saint because he lives in heaven so I get to be St. Jesus.”  The others seemed content with his
comment and they chattered on. Curiosity prompted me to walk closer and see what they were up to.  I asked the little boy who was calling himself St. Jesus  what he was thinking.  He said, “Well you told us to “play saints” at recess so we’re pretending that the jungle gym is heaven and since I’m at the very top, that makes me Jesus because he’s in charge in heaven and lives at the very top.”  All the others “playing saint” chimed in with their saint names.  They sat there at the top of the jungle gym for the entire recess just talking and laughing and I finished the day with a big giggle and a warm heart.

In the story of the narrow gate from Matthew and Luke’s Gospel, the crowd pressed Jesus to tell them how many would be saved.  They wanted a number and Jesus didn’t give them a number, He simply challenged them to live a life worthy of heaven.  A goal for each of us when we wake up in the morning should be to live that day like heaven matters to us.  Every conversation, every action, every person we touch should see that we’re living like we belong to Jesus and we’re trying to get home to meet him.  The little lovelies had it right at recess…they were thinking so hard about heaven that the jungle gym transformed into an eternal paradise…even if it was only for 15 minutes.  Their bodies might have been on earth but their thoughts and hearts were fixed on a much higher spot.  I took a lesson from the little lovelies!
 
A Seed To Plant: Make a note for yourself that says…Today I’m gonna live
like heaven is what I want more than anything! Put it in a place where you can see it several times a day.

 
Blessings on your day!