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Apprenticeship

June 15, 2011

Little Adults

It may be the experience of years that causes me to view all children as little adults. They will mature so quickly. The stumbling, foolish ten-year-old will be an adult in just ten years. In twenty years it will be obvious to him and others whether his life is a success or a failure. Will this little guy or gal running around the church yard think of me favorably ten years from now? What will be his memories of me? Will he remember me as a grumpy old man that spoiled all his fun, or as someone who took interest in his life and was a friend as he was growing up? Will he come to me for counsel or say, “He is the last person I want to talk to”?

I feel the need to address all children as people of worth, as souls soaking up their surroundings and forming worldviews with every experience. Each of us is a vital part of the mold that forms eternal souls. It is a grave responsibility.

I still have unpleasant memories of several adults, dating back as early as four years old—some brief word spoken in passing, a slight or dismissal, a rebuke I felt was not warranted. Uncles, cousins, church leaders, school teachers, ministers, friends of the family, they knew not that in one event they left an impression by which they are still judged today.

The disciples felt there were too many children crowding Jesus, preventing adult conversation, no doubt making too much noise, not appreciating the gravity of the moment, so they rebuked the adults for allowing their children to press in upon Jesus. “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).

If we ignore the children until their untoward behavior demands our attention, we are foolishly wasting human resources. Better to bind what is not yet broken than to try to repair the shattered and wasted lives of adults.

Go love a child today; see the adult in them and plant seeds that will bear fruit long after you are gone. ☺

 

 

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8 comments on “Apprenticeship”

  1. Oh how this is so true! Thank you for writing this! I grew up in a home where I felt like a worthless child, and am still treated that way as an adult. How glorious a privilege to be raising my children differently and teach them that they matter to me and even greater -matter to the Creator of the Universe.

  2. Our home school group had gotten rather "results" oriented. My son (a high school Junior at the time) was deeply insulted by the groups "honor society" adult leader. Her very public and derogatory comment to my son was that he had not completed a community college associates degree as some high schoolers in the group had. She further went on to negatively state that my son had no four year college ambitions. This greatly affected my son. Praise the Lord he is currently in a vocational school training to be a machinist. I'd much rather hang some of his handy work on the wall than a piece of paper (degree).

    Ironic too the title "Apprenticeship." I'm a community college instructor (TV Production) and the academic process really hinders that which could better be learned through apprenticeship.

    In an apprenticeship you can clearly define that one lacks aptitude, desire and skill and remove them from the process. In the academic world they can muddle their way through and acquire a degree (piece of paper) comparable to the best with no real delineation of skills.

  3. I am 34 years old. I grew up in a non-Christian home where my father and my mother never agreed on anything. I've never had an important conversation with my father, although he was always at home and eat with us every day. I don

  4. Dear Claudia,
    Your comment describes my father, so my heart goes out to you. I ask my heavenly Father to show you real Fatherly love and I am praying right now for your salvation. It is a matter of your heart, all you have to do is accept HIM. Luke 11:9
    And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.