Trust Catch

"C'mon! You can trust me! I'll catch you!" was the phrase that I heard 3-5th grade girls shouting to one another in the gym at PCM today.

Our Bible lesson talked about Acts 4:12, where it says that Jesus is the only one who can save. Salvation is found in no one else other than Jesus Christ. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (The earlier verses show that this verse refers to Jesus)

To illustrate the point better, after our lesson we headed over to the gym, where we practiced trusting each other, like we should trust Jesus. We should just fall back, knowing He will catch us, not being afraid because though we can't see him in front of our eyes, we are assured of his presence because he tells us to trust him.

The trust-catching lasted a good ten minutes before the group naturally dispersed and played ball games and "sword" fighting with foam noodles. But a couple of girls who had been having troubles not stepping back to brace themselves before a trust catch hung around and kept trying to get it right. 

One girl for some reason couldn't fall straight into someone else's arms, but tried it with me and finally allowed herself to fall straight back without flinching. Abandoned trust. She skipped over to another younger girl also having troubles with the exercise, coaching her "don't worry! You just fall back and Miss Jess will catch you! See, like this! Just let go!" 

The younger girl followed the example and did it perfectly. Of course, Miss Jess caught her and there were giggles and beaming faces all around. 

It hit me strongly in that moment.

I had just taught the older girl to trust me and let me catch her, and now she was teaching someone else the same. I couldn't help but think - isn't this the perfect model of discipleship? I taught her to trust by letting her experience the stability of my arms that caught her. As soon as she felt confident that trust was established, she was so eager to help someone else understand how simple it was too! She stood alongside her and talked her through it as if fear had never even been an issue.

As I think about telling people about the One in Whom I trust, it can seem like a big responsibility. I love the Lord and have experienced Him catching me in His grace over and over again, but am I able to relate those experiences to someone who hasn't felt the freedom of falling into grace? But it's just like the older girl with the younger girl. All it takes is the willingness to come alongside someone, to talk with them, to meet them where they're at, and to genuinely be excited about telling them how to trust in Jesus, who will never fail them. It can be that simple.

I'll always remember the trust catch. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight."
- Proverbs 3:5-6

(The Moody clock tower that I see every single day)