"TGIF"
 Does that acronym look familiar? Is it inscribed on a well-used and much-cherished coffee mug? Written on a poster at your workstation? A favorite restaurant?
Thank God It's Friday.
For many, it signals the end of a workweek. For me, it's a day of a different kind. It's a God-given day to teach God-given truths.
On this day the listeners aren't adults; they are children. These children aren't Zambian; they are Canadian, Zimbabwean, South African, Italian and American. Hence, the accompanying picture is a bit "lighter" in color than most that I send!
What started out as a Sunday School at my home for my two daughters has now blossomed into a Friday Sunday School for my two daughters and their friends. Each week up to eleven children look forward to Fridays. For our children, Fridays means sports day, Sunday School and Art projects. For me it means sharing Jesus with the oh-so-young of mind and yet the oh-so-great of faith.
Thank God, not only for Fridays, but for children. Especially for children. I marvel at their answers. And sometimes even more, at their questions. They are a personification of humility. A simple faith. And according to Jesus, true greatness.
Jesus tells us, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven"(Matthew 18:3).
Is it time for a change? Christ thought so. Jesus knew that the disciples needed a lesson in humility and greatness. So the Master Teacher used a most vivid illustration: a child.
"He called a little child and had him stand among them" (Matthew 18:2).
Did the lesson hit home with them? Does it hit home with us?
Do we need to reevaluate our definition of greatness? Is it the same as God's? Does our understanding of humility match what Jesus was teaching?
When I've gone the way of the disciples in Matthew 18, I thank God for Fridays all that much more. It's full of crayons and pictures and flannel graphs. It's full of God's Word and it's full of children. All combined, they help tell the story of sin and grace, rebellion and redemption, destruction and deliverance. The story of the fallen and the forgiven. The story of the cross and of the One on it. True greatness and perfect humility.
Perhaps what we need, more than we realize, is for Jesus to call a little child and have him or her stand among us. I believe we can learn a great deal from Him and our children.
Hmmmm....
Maybe the one who is really the student on Fridays is...
me.
TGIF.
Missionary John Holtz
Chipata, Zambia
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