That’s Mason and his sisters from Trunk-or-Treat last Sunday. Isn’t he the cutest little action hero with his big smile?

Wed., Nov. 1, 2017

Galatians 3:26– You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus.

“Are you the lady from church?” the 4-year-old Superman action hero asked me.

He was standing outside the front door of my house with his sisters. He had just rung the doorbell and exclaimed “Trick or treat!” as I opened the door.

Yep, Mason. I am the lady from church.

Mason is part of the Wednesday Night Church School (WNCS) program at one of the churches I serve as pastor. I have the great pleasure of seeing Mason and about 65 other kids each Wednesday night. In an action-packed hour, we cover all things related to God’s kingdom.

Does Mason know I am a pastor? I am not really sure. What I do know is the only place Mason has ever seen me is at church. Maybe he thinks it is my home. Where I sleep. Where I eat. Where I stay. Why wouldn’t he? He has never seen me anyplace else.

Until tonight. On my front porch. I was in the wrong place. I was out of character. Just like Matt Lauer being Dolly Pardon yesterday morning on the Today show: something was amiss.

This is not the first time I have received a very unexpected reaction from a church kid. Once while at the grocery store, I ran into a church family. A squirrely little boy in this family couldn’t believe THE PASTOR needed to buy groceries. “You eat?” he asked me. Yes, I eat.

Years ago, I wore jeans to church. The kids were aghast. Pastors wear jeans? Now, I purposely wear jeans on a regular basis. I want kids to know that pastors are just like any other person. We wear jeans. We eat food. We have homes.

We make mistakes. We tell lies. We hurt people’s feelings.

We exaggerate. We cut corners. We fail to help people we easy could have.

Mason – I have no more special powers than you did in your Superman outfit last night. Sadly, it’s very true.

We pull our pants on every morning just like you do. Sometimes, we eat too much sugar like you and other trick-or-treaters did last night. Sometimes, we don’t even pray as much as we should. Or we scan Facebook rather than reading our Bible.

I know. It’s hard to fathom how the lady from church might do laundry, cook dinner and cry while watching “This Is Us.” Take a shower? Completely out of the question.

This is the truth, Mason. I’m a normal person just like you. Just like your Mom. Just like your Dad. I just have a job in which I have the great privilege to tell little people like you and your WNCS friends about Jesus and God. I get to sprinkle water on baby’s heads and hand out shot glasses of grape juice and tiny cubes of bread. I get to hold sick people’s hands and lay my hands on them as I pray for them. I get to pound nails with teens on mission trip and buy them ice cream after a long day of roofing. And Mason, I even get to pretend I am playing an air guitar with you and the rest of the WNCS kids as we sing a super cool song about God.

Mason – thanks for stopping with your family at my house while you were out trick-or-treating. It made my night. Yep, I’m just another lady at church. Thanks be to God.

Lord God – thank goodness, we are all the same in your sight. You love us all, no matter what. You love us the same, in spite of our inability to do the same. Thank you for creating us as your beloved children. Amen and Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

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