Adventure Zone PlaygrouNd Lives Again!
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the reopening of Adventure Zone Playground on the campus of Vibrant Christian Church, located on Lambs Gap Road in Hampden Township.
The playground is eighteen years old, which really makes me feel old. Like everything, the playground equipment has eroded as the winter snows and summer sun have taken their toll. Since the playground is so large, it requires a lot of ongoing maintenance; however, even consistent servicing is not enough, and some amenities ultimately need to be replaced. The church raised significant funds and put in long hours of labor to restore the community gathering place to its former glory. Organizations like UCP of Central PA helped with the project just as they did in its infancy.
Why is this important? The answer is simple: Children and individuals with special physical challenges are Adventure Zone’s guests. These individuals are VIPs in our community and region and deserve to be treated as such.
Jesus repeatedly explained and demonstrated that children are one of His top priorities. The Teacher goes so far as to charge listeners that unless they become like little children, they will never enter the Kingdom of God. This means we should not only make kids our prime concern but also seek to understand what it is about them that we must adopt to be followers of Jesus.
So, what do you think qualifies little ones as suitable candidates for God’s Kingdom?
Why did Jesus pay such close attention to people with physical and mental challenges?
Recorded in Matthew chapter 18 of the Bible, Jesus’ followers asked their Teacher who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is. Hmmm? Interesting question. Who is the “greatest, that’s what we want to know.”
That’s a common question, isn’t it? Who is the greatest race car driver that will win the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday? Who is the greatest NBA team that will win the championship this year? Who is the most powerful politician? Who makes the coolest shoes? Which computer is better: Mac or PC? Who makes the best hamburgers? Who is the greatest podcast influencer?
It makes sense that these men wanted to determine how they could position themselves as the greatest souls in heaven. This was a typical concern for Jesus’ twelve closest followers. At one point, they argued with one another about who would sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in heaven. “I wanna be the greatest!” was a common concern for these men.
Well, Jesus addressed that concern when He called a little kid over to Him, hugged the child, looked up at His questioning followers, and, first of all, said, “You must change...” In other words, your present way of thinking is wrong; it doesn’t work in the Kingdom of God. Then, He taught the lesson. “In God’s world, the least is the greatest.” You must adopt the characteristics of a child to grasp heaven’s system.
Children are humble. They know that they don’t know. Children are willing to trust adults to care for them. They do not see themselves as self-sufficient. Children believe what they are taught. They are inquisitive and appreciate the wonders of the world. Children don’t care who is the greatest until we adults teach them to do so. Children just want to be loved.
Unfortunately, the disciples didn’t grasp Jesus’ revolutionary way of thinking until He was gone. They argued about this subject right up until the end of Jesus’ ministry. It all culminates with Peter proudly proclaiming, “I’m your greatest follower! These other guys are second or lower. I’ll never forsake you, no matter what happens. Jesus, I’m numero uno! (My paraphrase of Peter’s thoughts).
Finally, Jesus concludes this session by telling them that when you do something for a child, you are doing it for me. Enter the rationale for Adventure Zone Playground: it’s for kids.
But what about people with physical and mental challenges? Jesus paid special attention to these individuals. The most significant word reflecting the Master’s feelings towards people with special needs was compassion. He had deep empathy for those who were down-and-out and for individuals who couldn’t help themselves in any way.
Sometimes, the disciples tried to turn away people seeking Jesus’ help. “Can’t you see, the Teacher is busy, stop bothering Him!” (My paraphrase) This angered the Teacher, and He basically turned to them and said, “You idiots! These people are not bothering me; they are the reason I’m here.” (My paraphrase) This was followed by the healer doing His work for those with disabilities. To Jesus, these individuals were a high priority.
Why create a playground that individuals with special needs can enjoy? Because it’s what Jesus taught us to do.
The church built this playground and all the enjoyable amenities at Adventure Park simply because they love the community. They learned that from Jesus: love people with no agenda and no expectation of them returning your affection in any way. That is how God loves you too!
It seems wise for us to consistently consider children and the qualities we should embody as members of the Kingdom of God. We don’t want to regress into thinking as the world does.
When we live the way Jesus taught us, great things like Adventure Zone Playground happen. It is exciting to be part of this process. Love does amazing things.
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
P.S. Adventure Zone still needs a few projects completed, and the floor needs cleaning, which will cost thousands of dollars. How about you get online right now and make a donation? It’s a “Jesus” thing to do.
https://www.communitycarepoint.org/donate.html?give=PYEVM6DX
