She was in a mood. She was tired and cranky, and she wasn’t too sure she wanted to go at all. But it was the Easter Egg Hunt for Awana, and if she didn’t go she’d miss out on finding eggs with toys and candy in them, so she went and took her grumpy attitude with her.
When she and her family arrived, they were ushered into the Sanctuary for the customary Awana opening ceremony. As others stood and saluted the American flag to say the pledge, she sat and pouted. As others turned to pledge to the Christian flag and the Bible, she remained steadfastly surly. As the Awana group then pledged to the Awana flag, she stayed stuck fast to her seat with her lower lip sticking out. Then as they sang the Awana theme song, she scooted herself all the way to the end of the row she had been sitting in and pouted there by herself, far from the rest of the group.
But then she got a little curious. Something different was happening now. Since the families of the children had been invited to the egg hunt, the Awana leader was having the children sing a song for them. She slowly inched her way closer to the group. Her teacher, knowing her fairly well, encouraged her but didn’t force her to join in. Moving very slowly and still pouting so everyone would be sure to know that she was in a bad mood, she made her way up to the front with the rest of the children. And then they began to sing “Jesus Loves Me”.
Over all of the other children’s voices, hers could be heard. Her little voice, sometimes on the notes and sometimes not, missing all of the “r’s”, rang out into the room of parents and small children. She seemed to sing with all her heart, and she definitely sang with all of her lungs. She sang with them through to “… the Bible tells me so,” only she didn’t stop there. As the rest of the children stood, finished with their song, she continued on to the second verse. “Jesus loves me, He who died heaven’s gate to open wide…” The other children looked somewhat stunned except for her older sister who was doing a little dance somewhere in the background. “He will wash away my sin; let this little child come in…” The parents were all smiling and tittering about how sweet the little girl up front was. “Yes, Jesus loves me…” Her teachers were encouraging her with big smiles on their faces. “Yes, Jesus loves me…” Her mother was beaming through a somewhat bemused blush. “Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.” The whole room broke into applause and she looked so proud and pleased with herself as the children returned to their seats.
And as cute as it was and as proud as I was, I was still glad I hadn’t taught her the third verse yet.