Giving away "Presence"

This past weekend while at a leadership retreat, I was reminded about how essential it is to function out of the Lord's presence. We watched a great teaching video by Bill Johnson on the topic. Essentially what was being said is that the church was never intended to be known by its disciplines but rather its passion. That passion comes out of relationship with Christ. In the area of children's ministries, I likened it to not being known by our techniques and programs, but by the life-changing presence of Jesus shared with children. One of the statements that stood out to me was that "Presence is what we actually give away". Immediately I was reminded of a Sunday during my first year in children's ministry. I was walking up and down the hallways of the church basement in Barrie, kind of doing "my rounds", when a grandparent and their grandchild were having an interesting struggle. The grandparent kept saying, "that's Pastor Michelle, honey", and the little girl (who was maybe four), kept pulling away from her grandma and trying to run over to me. "I want Jesus!" she kept shouting. "There...Jesus!". I was a little stunned. I thought to myself...what I have I done to mess up this child to thinking that I am Jesus? Afterall, I hadn't been at the church that long. The grandmother slightly embarassed, said to me "She has been talking about seeing Jesus, since we left home this morning. When we got here and she saw you, she said you were Jesus!" I feel like I will never forget that moment. I remember feeling something stir in my spirit, as I thought to myself "I think she's really seeing Jesus". While giving the little girl the biggest hug possible, I'm sure I tried to clarify to her that my name is Pastor Michelle. Then she happily went into her classroom, while still staring a hole right through me, as if she was right afterall.
And here's the point...

I'm reminded again today that what's most critical to everything I do in ministry, in the name of Jesus...must be that people actually see Jesus in me. Not only do I want them to see Jesus, I want to actually share His presence simply because it's overflowing from who I am in Him.

I haven't been called "Jesus" since that moment in ministry. I also know that there has been no greater compliment since that experience. Remember the disciples, holding back children who were brought by their parents to Jesus? Jesus said "Let the little children come...for the kingdom of heaven belongs to these" (Matthew 19:14). The Bible then says Jesus placed His hands on them, before going on from that place. Each week we as children's ministry volunteers, staff, and parents, cross paths with a child who simply wants to be near Jesus. We are pretty good at letting the little children come...now let's allow the Saviour to touch them, as we give His presence away.