It’s fascinating to watch my kids grow up—to be on the other side, watching them experience life for the first time.
Sometimes I just find myself watching them go through the day, absorbing all they are experiencing. I feel so much responsibility as a parent. While I don’t have sway over the decisions they make or where they end up, my wife and I are instrumental in framing the world they live in.
I have the power to encourage or to put down. It’s a tremendous responsibility and a wonderful privilege.
As I watch my kids, I learn lessons every day. Some of those lessons apply to me as a worship leader. I’m learning to be more childlike, less professional and wear my emotions on my sleeve. I know, it doesn’t sound like the best idea. But in some ways that’s exactly what we need.
Five Lessons Kids Can Teach Us About Worship
Here are a few of the lessons I’m learning from them:
1. Don’t Care What Other People Think. Without hesitation, both Tyler and Eliana will sing at the top of their lungs and throw down some sick dance moves. Whether it be the mall, the doctor’s office, the front row at church or a restaurant, it doesn’t matter. They aren’t concerned for what other people are thinking. They are being themselves, enjoying life anywhere and everywhere. As worship leaders, we can learn to be more confident in our own skin … and worship with abandon, not caring what others think.
2. Be in the Moment. My kids don’t worry about what’s going to happen next. They are fully present in the moment. Whether that happens to be throwing their food on the floor or watching Paw Patrol, all that matters is this very moment. Of course, as you grow older you learn the importance of advanced planning and thinking ahead. But something could be said for worship leaders learning how to be more in tune to the moment. What is the Holy Spirit saying now? What is God doing now?
