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When you are teaching them how to steer the sailboat, talk to them about how Jesus calmed the storm and controls the waves, and He does the same today in the storms of life.

When you are giving instructions on how to shoot the bow and arrow, looking at a target with a bullseye, tell them that the definition of sin is missing the mark.

Or when you are on the tree tops, a high ropes course, and they are afraid of falling, tell them that even though we may slip and fall, Jesus is holding on to us and He won’t let go.

Honestly, to most of us young college students at the time looking for these teachable moments, it sounded like “Jesus cheese.”  Like, do people really say this kind of stuff?  And if they do, it’s only because they are supposed to, right?  Even though I knew this was similar to how Jesus taught in parables, I felt like I never was very good at finding teachable moments at camp.  I think those are the only three I ever used, because they are the only ones I could ever remember and I had a hard time coming up with them on my own.  Besides that, who has sailboats at camp and knows how to work those things, anyway?  Not me.

Nevertheless, as silly as it sounded, I still wanted to be good at finding those teachable moments.  To a listening child, they never forget those concepts when they are coupled with real life experiences.

Well, fast-forward 10 years and here I am with two small children of my own. Finding teachable moments is even more important to me now that these are my own kids.  Tonight, I remembered to be intentional about it.

I had gotten the kids out of the bathtub and we were putting on pajamas and getting ready for bed.  Wes was gone, so it was just me, Jake and Derek.  Next thing we knew the lights went out.  It was dusk, so there was still a little light coming in from the window and I could see that it wasn’t just our house, but the whole neighborhood.  Jake was with me and started to get scared.  Derek was in the process of running away from me as I was trying to get his p.j.’s on, so next thing I heard was him crashing into some toys in the darkness of Jake’s room followed by some tears.  Gathering the boys next to me, we slowly make our way down the stairs while my mind searches for a way to find some light.  I can’t think of where a flashlight is, I know where some candles are, but I don’t know where any matches or a lighter might be.  The gas stove wouldn’t light.  So I find my phone and called Wes to find out if he had any helpful advice.  All the while, Jake is hugging my leg and wishing I was holding him in my arms instead of Derek, borderline crying, and saying that we need Daddy here and what are we going to do without any light!?!  Well, after about 10 minutes, the lights came back on and all was well.  We went back upstairs and finished getting ready for bed.  We had our routine “family church,” which is basically a little devo where we read a Bible story or two, sing a few songs, and then pray together.  During this time a little light bulb when on in my head and I thought of a teachable moment.

“Jake, do you remember how scared you were when the lights went out?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, that’s what it is like for people who don’t know Jesus and don’t have Him in their lives.  Jesus is the light of our lives.  It’s a scarey place to be without him, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

A little bit later I was reading a short book to Derek, about to lay him in his bed.  Jake was sitting close by, playing with a toy, when he looked over at me and said, “Mommy?  How can we make sure that Jesus is in our hearts?”

Wow.  Jake turns four years old next month.  This is what Jesus meant when He said to become like little children, isn’t it?  With hearts ready and willing to listen, willing to receive a teachable moment.