I was recently invited in to our local Primary School to talk to the children in years 1 and 2, (5–7-year-olds), about what it means to me to be a Christian. They had been exploring Bible stories that demonstrated what characteristics a follower of Jesus has; their favourite being about trusting Jesus – Jesus calming the storm.
When I arrived, there were some prepared questions that the children had thought up. Easy things like “Why do believe in God?” “How do you follow Jesus?” “Why do you trust God?”
Once we had got over the basics of Creation and the events of Good Friday and Easter…. then came the tricky questions!
“If God created everything, how do you know he created electricity?”
After a bit of quick thinking on my feet, we had a basic lesson in physics – “God created everything, including all the atoms in the universe, and the individual components that make up atoms, including electrons. It is the movement of electrons that makes electricity.”
That seemed to satisfy these eager minds, and even the teachers looked mildly impressed. (Please forgive me if my O level physics is a bit rusty!)
What amazed me was the depth of Bible knowledge and inquisitiveness that the children had.
As I’ve got older that curiosity and eagerness to learn has become diminished by the worries and business of everyday life.
I’m not sure how much the children learnt from me, but I know I gained a refreshed eagerness to continue on my journey of faith, as I continue to learn from young and old.
…. Oh, and I got a free pancake! (My visit was on Shrove Tuesday)