Over the past few years, one of the most requested topics on my speaking circuit has been a lesson in which I list a hundred ideas for training our kids to be servants. Service oriented kids grow up to be productive adult servants in the kingdom and it’s those people to whom the Lord will say, “Come ye blessed of my Father,” according to Matthew 25. So it matters if I’m making a real effort, as a mom, to put the heart of a servant in my child. For this reason, I’ve decided to devote a post, every now and then, to a service suggestion — a simple idea for moms to make their homes busy service centers for young hearts and hands. I’d love to hear from those of you who try them. So here goes:
Visit the Visitors
Previous editions of Mama’s K.I.S.S. have included baking cookies for the visitors to your services and having visitors sign your children’s guestbooks. Today’s suggestion is to take one night out of your month to pack up the kids and go visit one or two of those families or individuals who have visited your services. As is usually the case with all of these suggestions, the propensity for good is greater in the hearts of your children than in those whom they are serving.
It’s important to practice with your children before you go visiting. Young children can learn one simple phrase to say when prompted during your short visit…something like “We’re so glad you came,” or “We hope you can come again.” Older children can offer a correspondence course, take treats for any children in the home, or ask if they can leave a couple of relevant tracts. Be sure you practice what to say when leaving: “Thanks for letting us come by. Hope you can come again!”
Of course, you will know best how to approach various people you have met in your assemblies, but it’s usually a good idea to call ahead and ask if it’s okay to just come by. I usually say something like, “We won’t take your time. We just want to drop by and bring a loaf of bread. We won’t come in.” Then if they really want you to come in, they will tell you. Be sure when you leave that loaf of bread or pie, though, that it has a card attached with all of your service times, a tract, or even a book from which they can learn the gospel.
If the people you visit do return to the assembly, be sure you point them out to your children and have them go and personally greet them. Your kids will begin to feel responsible for making guests in worship feel at home and welcome. And that’s a good thing!
