“Let’s go to Church this Sunday”, said Daddy, “After all, it’s a new year, 2006. Going to Church can be our New Year’s Resolution.”
Little Johnny was very surprised. He could not even remember the last time the family had gone to Church. He quite enjoyed the service although he did not really understand everything that happened. He liked the hymns especially and afterwards he got to play with some of the other children.
When the family got home his parents were talking about the service. They had not enjoyed it at all. Daddy said the sermon was too long. Mummy said she did not think the music was much good. His big brother, Fred, said he was bored and would rather play football. They had almost decided they would not go again.
“What do you think, Johnny?” Daddy asked.
“Well,” said little Johnny, “I think it was a good show for twenty toea!”
Sometimes it is a good idea to listen to our children. It really is no good complaining about what is wrong with something if we are not prepared to do something about it. That family grumbled about all the things that were wrong with the service but all they had contributed was twenty toea in the collection. After all, what we get out of Church depends on what we are prepared to put into it. It is not just a matter of money.
Daddy decided he would go and talk to the priest about the sermon. Mummy said she would go to the next choir practice and help out with the singing. Fred thought he might talk to the other young people and try and get a Church Football Team together. Little Johnny was very pleased. He liked going to Church and every week he learned more and more about how much Jesus loved him.
Do you know what happened? Before long everybody began enjoying Church more.
So, if you go to Church and do not enjoy it, perhaps there is something you can do to make things better, not just for yourself but for everybody. Do not just ask, “What is wrong?” Instead ask, “What can I do to make it better?”
If that is true of Church, maybe it is true of other things. With our community, our family, our nation, what we get out of it depends on what we are prepared to put in.
+Peter Fox.
Bishop of Port Moresby.
