Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 1 John 4:7, NIV

“What can I do, Lord? There are so many hurting families and children around the world, and I don’t know what my role is in all of this. I can’t help those families who have lost their children. I can’t do anything for them.” 

This was my prayer one morning after listening to a news report that included another school tragedy, an increased poverty rate in our nation, and children being trafficked.

In response, our loving God clearly said to me, “Love the children in front of you.”

I currently serve as a reading and math interventionist in a Title 1 program and work with students who are already behind and struggling compared to their peers. I witness their pain and frustration during our small group times daily. Often, I have to redirect our conversations to focus on math, because they have so much to share about their families and the world around them—much more than I ever considered at their age. 

One particular day, we were counting by 6s and working on multiplication and division of the multiples of 6 when, out of the blue, a 4th-grade boy said, “Mrs. Johnson, what if a stranger comes in here with a gun? What do we do?”

The rest of the group grew silent. Here we are trying to learn how to count by 6, and he is thinking about school shootings. I thought, How can I continue to teach while these heavy topics were weighing on his mind? 

We began discussing how to lock the door, or where we’d go in case of an emergency. More questions arose about various scenarios, and I tried to help them navigate their fears. We didn’t learn much about math that day, but I reassured them that whatever happened, the adults in the building would all be there to help them figure it out. 

Thankfully, God doesn’t expect us to fix all of the problems in this world. However, He does call us to love the mission field of children right in front of us. So, today, if you are feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to consider the mission God has placed right in front of you. 

Father in Heaven, when I am overwhelmed by the world and don’t know what to do, please remind me that You see each and every child. Amen.

Copyright Jenn Johnson.

Jenn is a member of Christian Educators and an elementary teacher in Minnesota.