"You Can Count Cain't Yee"

When I imagine Jesus walking from town to town, I see him playing with children.  The God who created everything taking time to play with children is mind-boggling.  That is God.  He is powerful enough to cause fear and trembling in the demonic, insubordinate enough toward Jewish law that the Sadducees and the Pharisees plotted to kill Him, but so full of love that children ran to play and hug on Him.

One of the greatest blessings of a pastor is having children run to play and love on him.  I have always had a special time for children in the worship service.  I called it “Pastor’s Pals.”  It was their time for me to introduce them to the sermon using simple things, which they could relate.  It never surprised me what words would come from the mouths of babes.  Children are so honest and pure in heart.

As a director of missions, I miss my time with the children each Sunday, but I do have an occasion with them from time to time.  The longer I serve the more the children of the churches learn who I am and how much I enjoy their company.

Most Baptist churches in rural Alabama observe fifth Sunday eating and singing.  At one particular meeting, I was sitting with a deacon discussing retirement and the condition of our world.  A grandson of the deacon stood beside me and earnestly pleaded with his granddad to go outside and play.  His granddad answered, “You cannot go outside unless an adult goes with you.”

I thought the reply was kind of unusual being that it was a small church in a very rural community where everyone attended church, especially on fifth Sunday.  Rarely would a car drive by unless it was someone who did not stay at an eating.

Being a little boy, he was relentless in asking his granddad permission to go outside.  Finally, his granddad asked what he wanted to play.  The boy said, “Hide and seek.”  By this time, a small band of boys huddled around the table waiting for the special blessing of the church patriarch to release them into the promise land just as the Israelite army awaited Moses to charge Joshua to spy out the land.

The granddad repeated, “Son you cannot go outside until a grownup can go outside with you.”

Then it happened, the small boy looked me dead in the eyes and asked, “Will you go outside and play with us?” 

It was one of those Kodak camera moments.  He was so eager and so pitiful with his request that you could not say no so I asked him what he wanted to play hoping that I would not have what it took to play with them.  Standing beside me, he was so small that sitting in a chair I was taller than he was.

Without any consideration that I was the Director Missions of the Bethel Baptist Association.  He said, “Hide and seek.”

I thought I could get out of it by saying that I was much too big to play hide and seek.  I did not mean that I was too mature because I really wanted to get outside with them, but that I was too big physically to hide.

He replied with the most adorable and honest answer he could give to a person of my status.  He said, “You can count cain’t yee?” 

Well, I had no excuse.  I could count.  Four little boys and one over fifty, over weight, and over rated gray-haired old man went outside to have the time of our lives playing hide and seek.  I counted the first time and I purposely lost to count again.  After the second time I did hide with two partners in crime at my side and the other little one hid under the church.  This little one would not come out until his mother threaten to leave him there and threaten to beat him within an inch of his life if he did not come from under the church.  I had a great time and made some life-long friends of some small boys.

Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:13-14 KJV).