Proverbs 15:30

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes the bones.

Ever seen someone whose smile didn’t quite reach his/her eyes? You can tell immediately that it isn’t sincere. But oh, when a person’s eyes light up – then you can see the joy throughout their entire face. And it brings joy to the person who sees it too.

One of my favorite parts of my job is teaching, specifically when I get to teach young people between the ages of 10 and 18. I really enjoy engaging them with questions or sharing my faith with them and seeing their eyes light up with wonder when God’s truth sinks in.

This Sunday was one of those times for me. Travis and I co-teach confirmation, and as we were teaching part of the Lord’s Prayer from Luther’s Small Catechism, our teaching shifted and we found ourselves in that magical place where the Holy Spirit is clearly guiding the whole process. We were trading off talking about the need to share our faith with the world around us, the reality of hell and the joy of heaven. The youth (eight students from 7th to 10th grade) were asking questions and we could just see in their eyes that they were hooked.

Sometimes their eyes were wide with concern for a lost world in need of a Savior. Sometimes they seemed burdened by the responsibility of the task before us as Christians. But mostly their was joy and excitement – the realization that this thing they’ve been part of their whole lives is more than just a Sunday pastime. It’s a mission, and it’s a calling, and it’s thrilling.

I can’t believe I’m blessed to be part of opening their eyes to this light. Thank you Jesus.