Every August, we start a new school year with a fresh crop of sixth graders.
My hubby and I teach a middle school Sunday School class during the school year. We take a break for the summer to rest and rejuvenate and reconnect with our adult class. It’s always fun, but I also look forward to getting back to the kids, which is kind of a miracle in itself.
I said for years I’d be willing to work with any group of kids except for middle-schoolers, only to find that God has really given me a heart to work with this age group. I suppose simply living produces a learning all on its own.
We have a fairly large crop of new kids this year, ones who have just entered the sixth grade. Our class is usually very different from what they have been involved in before. We all sit in a circle and everyone has to talk. They only balk on that the first couple of Sundays and then they are totally into it. Kids this age really love to talk about themselves.
We ask them to bring their Bibles every Sunday and give them a Jolly Rancher when they do. They catch onto that pretty quickly too. We have them look up verses and read, no iPhones allowed, and then we try to relate it to their lives. We feel that the key to a desire to learn about God’s word is to make them understand that it has relevance to their lives. Isn’t that they key for everyone?
I think that the Bible is like the Mona Lisa. Her eyes are supposed to follow you wherever you are in the room. The Bible speaks to you wherever you are in your life.
We always like to start with the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, found in the Book of Daniel. Most of them are familiar with the story because of their miraculous rescue from the fiery furnace, but when we have them actually read it, we are able to point out similarities to their lives.
First of all, we point out that the three friends and Daniel, were taken as captives to Babylon. The culture was completely different. They ate different foods and drank a lot of alcohol. They worshiped different gods. At this point we ask them how different middle school is from their elementary school environment. This is where many of the eighth graders will chime in about all of the foul language. Peer pressure inevitably comes up and they all have something to add.
As we read further, we find that these friends stood together and refused to eat the foreign food and drank just water and remained incredibly healthy. They didn’t try to fit in by doing things they knew were wrong. Then they refused to bow down to a golden statue even though not doing so would result in them being thrown into the fiery furnace.
They stuck together and they prayed together and God delivered them. Then we talk to them about their friends and choices of friends. Is peer pressure always bad? What happens when friends pray for each other and when they stick together and refuse to bow down to whatever may be going on in middle school? What would have happened if one of them caved and gave into the pressure to go against God?
They usually leave intrigued by the notion that the Bible is relevant in their young lives and I too, always leave a little amazed by God’s ability to speak to all of us wherever we are on the age spectrum or faith spectrum.
If you haven’t read the about Daniel and his three friends in awhile, check it out. It really is some amazing stuff. It may surprise you on how it relates to you on your walk at this very moment.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂