Listening in

I don’t know why.

I am sure I could ask a lot of questions and find out, but I don’t really think it matters.

I couldn’t attend Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch chapel services last Thursday afternoon because of an appointment conflict. I had to leave campus about 10 minutes into the service.

As I left my office, one of the children in our care was sitting on the floor with a sketch pad on her lap and a staff person close by. The child, about 13 years old, was leaning toward the open door to the chapel. I glanced down at her paper and saw she had drawn a rustic cross and was writing next to it. I was too far away to read the writing.

The rest of the kids were in the chapel. (Except for three who declined that day and went to Life Development class instead.) Pastor Dylan was leading them in song before the Scripture readings.

I don’t know why going through those chapel doors that day was too hard.

I do know that we all grow up with “acceptable” tenets of church behavior. Sitting on the floor of the Narthex is probably not one of those.

I also know that precious child heard His word through Pastor Dylan’s message and the hope in the songs.

That’s a big win. If I remember correctly, the Bible contains a few stories of people just “listening in” to Jesus’ preaching. In John 11:41–42, Jesus openly says that He is speaking aloud “for the sake of the people standing here.” He knows people are listening.

Just maybe, this week she’ll walk through those doors.

Please keep the children and staff of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in your prayers.

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