There Are No Benchwarmers

What Day 1 of VBS can teach the adults.

“Let the little children come to me… for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” —Mark 10:14

VBS launched today with laughter in the halls, flying ring tosses in the field, and one central truth echoing through it all: God sees me.

For many of our children, this may have been the first time they’ve sat with that idea—not just that God sees the world, or sees big moments, but that He sees them. As in: their personalities, their fears, their gifts, their stories.

The story for the day came from Mark 10, where Jesus welcomes a group of children. The disciples, trying to be helpful, had stepped in to push the kids aside—thinking maybe Jesus had more important things to do. But Jesus saw the moment differently. He stopped what He was doing. He called the children to Himself. He blessed them. He honored them in front of everyone.

But, in doing so, He showed us something fundamental about the kingdom of God: it’s not reserved for the impressive or the accomplished. It belongs to the humble. To the ones who know how to receive, not just perform.

That’s a message our kids need to hear—but maybe we’re the ones who need to hear it first.

Because if we’re honest, most of us live at a pace that doesn’t leave much room for feeling seen.

We move from one thing to the next, often hoping that someone notices the effort, the fatigue, or even the longing just beneath the surface. And it’s not just our pace—it’s our culture. One that praises what’s visible and loud and curated.

But in Mark 10, Jesus models a different way. He slows down so that He can see; He sees so that He can bless.

Clearly, hurry is the enemy of love.

Our kids learned about being seen and working together in our Day 1 Big Group Activity—a flying ring toss relay. It wasn’t just a chance to burn energy (though that definitely happened). It was designed to reinforce that everyone matters. Each child was part of a team, and no one sat on the sidelines. Every step forward mattered. Every cheer counted.

And while it looked like a game, it was really a picture of how God designed the Church. We believe, as a community, that every person—regardless of age, background, or ability—is made in God’s image, deserves to be seen, and should play a role in the body of Christ.

There are no benchwarmers in the Kingdom.

That belief is baked into our mission as a church: to glorify God by making disciples of Jesus Christ among all peoples. And it starts early. It starts in moments like these—where a child begins to internalize that the God who created the world also knows their name, their heart, their story.

And when they believe that—they carry it. Into friendships. Into school. Into adulthood.

If you’re a parent, or even if you’re just tracking along with us as part of our church family, can we invite you to reflect on something simple? When was the last time you felt seen by God? Not in the grand, theological sense—but in a specific, personal way?

Maybe it was through a quiet moment in Scripture. Maybe it was a word of encouragement someone spoke that felt almost too timely. Maybe it was the reminder—like today’s story—that Jesus doesn’t just welcome children. He welcomes you.

So here’s a simple way to follow up at home: ask your child what it felt like to be part of a team where they mattered. Ask what they think it means that Jesus sees them. And then—go a step further. Tell them how you feel about being seen by Jesus.

Because discipleship isn’t something we give to our kids. It’s something we share with them. And this week, that journey starts with a single truth that we must receive and accept in order to continue a life of discipleship:

God sees you.