The other night was filled with so much anticipation. It all started with a conversation I had with my kids during lunch where some one dropped the “P” word (that someone was me by the way). No, not the dirty “P” word, or the swear word that Christians are allowed to say “P” word, but the “P” word that gets kids worldwide all wild and ruckessy. The “P” word that evokes memories of high flying aerial stunts, and imaginative epic battles in worlds far, far away. That “P” word is playground. It was a beautiful day and it had been raining, like, wish you had a canoe raining, the day before, so I thought it would be fun to take the kids to a park. I forgot one thing though. I am afraid of my kids playing with other kids that I don’t know. Yeah, you heard it right, I am a peopleidontknowaphobe. We scoured the city looking for a playground without other kids, and other kids parents. We even drove out of town, only to find that every park that I knew of was crawling with kids I didn’t know. It’s like someone put out a, “hey, it’s nice out, let’s go to a park and let our kids play on the fun swings,” announcement. We drove around, and my kids got antsy as we passed every park they saw. The longer we drove the more convicted I got about my peopleidontknowaphobia. I mean…I should keep them socially sequestered until they are like forty, right? Jesus wouldn’t want them to learn to build relationships with people different than themselves or anything, right? I wouldn’t want them to influence other kids or worse yet…have God lead me to share the Gospel with one of their parents, would I?

Or…maybe, I can overcome my fear of being put in uncomfortable situations, let my kids be kids, and maybe get a chance to share the God I know and love with the people who so desperately need His love?

What Do You Think?