Have you ever thought about what our kids (protected from seeing violent TV shows) might be thinking when introduced to the crucifixion and resurrection of our Savior, Christ Jesus? I think about it from time to time. And I’ve told them parts of it on different occasions. But… Well, this just happened….

My kids learned a more intensive lesson on the sacrifice Christ made for our sins today in Vacation Bible School. At the end of the day, all of the children and leaders met in the sanctuary to go over the sacrifice one last time. This gathering included a visual where a man, dressed up as Jesus, walked though the crowd and the kids were suppose to give their sins to him so he could take them with Him to the cross. Since the cross was set up on the stage, the whole thing was sure to be memorable.

I looked to see if my son was understanding, and all indications told me that he was. But when I scanned the crowd for my daughter, I saw the back of her head. She was being held by her group leader. I thought maybe she was tired, but then she turned around and my heart broke. She was sobbing! I ran to her and tried to see what was going on, yet she was almost inconsolable.

I thought so many things as I tried to speak with her; way too many to capture them all here. Mostly, I traveled through the blame of wondering if this was something she was too young or too sensitive to see. I thought, maybe the idea of the whole thing was too violent for her mind. I started counting the number of mommy-failures this scene represented. The truth is, I wanted to run away. Yet here she was needing to be comforted, and here I was needing help on where to begin.

Since the leaders did such a great job of focusing on “love”, I started there in my discussion with her. We went over “why” He chose to do this for us. And when I was finished, I told her, “Precious, I know its hard to think about, but you don’t need to worry about his death, because Jesus rose from the dead!”

Cayden: I know that. But, I still don’t like it.
Mommy: Honey, I know, but Jesus did it because He loves you.
Cayden (Yelling): Mommy, I know that! I don’t like the other part!
Mommy: What other part, baby?
Cayden: The part where Jesus takes away all of my skin.
Mommy: SIN honey, He took away all of your SIN.

My daughter thought the man dressed up in the white robe walking through the crowd was coming to collect her skin. No wonder she was terrified!