Best Dancer

This week I have had the opportunity to help with our church's version of VBS called Mega Sports Camp. It  is a neat little camp and in the spirit of nostalgia, I volunteered to help with cheerleading. Practicing the moves and jumps and going over cheers and chants and dances has taken me back to my childhood and teenage years of being a cheerleader. Lord, have mercy.

The dream of being a cheerleader was planted in my head at a very early age. I attended a cheer leading camp when I was in grade school and at the end of the camp, when all the awards were handed out (LOTS of awards) I was presented with the "Best Dancer" award. That little certificate in my hands had amazing power. I went most of my life thinking I was "The Best Dancer" no matter where I was or who I was with. Even in high school I remember always thinking that I was an awesome dancer and I had nothing to base that on other than the little piece of paper someone handed me back in the 2nd grade.

Years later I became a teacher. Once I was preparing to present individual awards to an entire class of kids when I came to a sobering realization: Oh wow, sometimes you have to make this crap up! I really have no idea if those cheerleaders just randomly gave me the "Best Dancer" award or if I really did know how to shake my booty best (I have a pretty good guess), but that's not really the point of my story.

This is the point: children are impressionable. Children generally believe whatever they are told and sometimes will hold onto it with everything they are for a very long time. I know from experience that a child will base her entire identity around something she is told by a trusted adult.

These facts beg the question, what are we telling our children? Are we telling them they are good and they can be anything they want to be if they just put their mind to it?  Are we telling them they are the best little dancer...football player...gymnast... out there even when they're not? Are we building them up with no solid foundation to stand on?

Or are we telling them that God is so good and He has the best plans for our lives? Are we telling them that they can do nothing of any worth apart from the God who saves? Are we telling them the Truth? Are we helping to build a foundation that will never crumble beneath our children? Because that is what they need to be told the most.

Lord, help us.

Can you spot the "best dancer"?