Learning about God at the Fair with the mountain lions.

So this week I went with some of the youth to the fair in Rapid City.  I saw a lot of cool things and had a fun time, but one thing that stuck with me were parents with little kids.  At every ride there was a "You have to be this tall to ride this ride" kind of sign.  These signs had a spot that you could be this tall to ride with a parent.  Well there were multiple occasions when the kids couldn't ride alone and needed a parent.  That is when the mountain lions in each of us came out...  Parents would verbally attack the ride operators and try to get their kid on the rides without them.  SIDE NOTE: A lot of the parents there only bought ride wristbands for their kids and not themselves so they couldn't go with them on the rides.  I even saw a parent sarcastically bow to the ride operator and say, "Thank you my liege!" and walk away with sad kids.  One of the operators said, "I hate being the bad guy!"  What is the point you might say...One of the instances reminded me of a Bible passage.  There was a kid and she stood at the board, which clearly showed she was in the ride with a parent zone.  The mom said, "you are at the line (she was not) to ride by yourself."  The child then says, "No mom I have to ride with a parent"  The mom was not going to hear that and told the operator she was at the line and got her kid on the ride.  

Matthew 18: 2-6

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.  Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.  But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

I like this passage for different reasons...it cautions me to make sure I am teaching truth from the Bible when talking to youth.  It also teaches me that I should be more like a child :)  That child at the fair knew the truth and was humble and honest, but the mom was not going to have her child miss the ride.  The mountain lion parents at the fair were teaching the children to manipulate people to get what you want and also to treat those who work for you with disrespect.  I am glad I serve a God that loves me even when I mess up and I can go to Him to seek forgiveness, but the truth is the kids around us look at us to learn and for me that is a crazy thought.  I need to be the example of Christ to those around me and lead by example to what a person of God does.  As well as lead those children towards God and not put stumbling blocks in front of them.  Pray for our kids as they start school and pray for youth group this year that God would move through it.