Tell me a story about when you were little – a small voice would say and either Gramma or Papa would comply. It was fun for both of us.
Now, these small people are grown, and they can tell me stories about their work and their travels and their lives. They still remember our stories but now they are all woven together in family lore. Jesus also used stories (parables) to make his points. They were probably hard to understand for the followers but how wonderful they are to us. Reading the Bible, we read the stories of Jesus and they are never old to us as we enjoy them over and over.
As a child, living in the country, my father would take me to town on Sunday morning to go to Sunday school. We would arrive early and I would take the long stairs to the basement of the church. The teacher would not always be there yet but the lights were on and the janitor was kind.
One Sunday, the teacher used the part of the Bible about Jesus welcoming little children and what he said to his followers when they chided Him. “Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” I was overjoyed. There were a lot of children in my family. Yes, I was the youngest of the first branch but my brothers and sisters were already having children of their own. It was wonderful to know that Jesus welcomed us all. My little washed-out cotton dress didn’t matter. I had found a place where I was welcome in the town church. A little country girl welcome in a big church in town. God welcomed me.
Church was never the same after that. I entered into the discussions and continued to attend that same church until I graduated from high school and then returned six years later to marry. Jesus had welcomed me.
Carolyn Olsen
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