Complicated yet simple

My little Kindergartner is officially a reader.  It is a joy to watch her grow in this new area of study every week.  I am amazed at her progress and it makes me smile so big as she does her reading homework each evening.  This morning while getting ready for school, she noticed a copy of her Daddy's Consumer Reports magazine.  She said, "Mom I know this word is 'Top' and this word is 'Plus', but I cannot figure out what this word is!"  I was impressed as she tried so hard to figure it out on her own.  The word was 'phone'.  Simple word for adults, but to an early reader it didn't make any sense.  It did not follow the rules she has learned thus far.  The class has begun "special sounds" like  'th' and 'sh', but 'ph' has not been discussed yet.  When I explained it was a special sound, she immediately asked the  question we all want to ask, "Why did they not just use an 'F'?"  Although I will never be able to answer that one, I do know reading is complicated, especially for the beginner.

We learn the rules... how to tell if a vowel makes its long sound or short sound; the special sounds; 'i' before 'e' except after 'c', and so forth and so on.  But reading is not just a simple process.  You don't learn it in a day, a week or even a month.  It takes practice, teaching and instruction to grasp all there is to know in our English language.  I am proud of my daughter's progress, but she does have a ways to go.

In our children's program at church, we are teaching the kids that no matter how complicated they might think salvation is, it is a simple process.  Asking Jesus to come into our hearts and lives is as easy as ABC or 123.  It is so simple, even a child can be instrumental in leading others to Christ.  Yes the Bible can seem hard to understand, and there are rules to follow.   It cannot all be understood in a day, a week or even a month.  But salvation is simple.  It can be done in a day; in fact, it can be done in a matter of minutes!

Today's Verse
Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

I might not feel qualified to lead someone to Christ, just like I don't feel qualified to completely teach my child to read.  Yet any Christian is equipped to tell others about Jesus, just like any reader can assist a new reader in learning.  Start with your own story.  Tell how you came to ask Jesus to be your Savior, and tell of the things He has done in your life.  You don't have to know the Bible backwards and forwards.  You don't have to be able to answer every biblical question, but being a child of God does qualify you to tell others about His love!  God can seem complicated, but in all actuality He is love...and that is simple!