(This post was written by Matt Grimes, Middle School Ministry Pastor)

Today I earned a new name… Matt the Mouse Slayer.  I know what you are thinking, and yes there is a story behind the name.

I was walking back from the copy room, and I saw Jennifer Rose, our Family Ministry Assistant standing in the hall with a frightened look on her face, staring into her office with fear.  As I rounded the corner to see what she was so afraid of, I saw another assistant, Marti, standing on Jennifer’s office chair peering over the side of her desk.  A mouse had scurried by Jennifer, which caused her to run out of the office screaming, and that resulted in Marti standing on the chair looking for the mouse.

Jennifer said the last place the mouse was seen was behind the mini-fridge on the other side of the desk.  In an attempt to scare the mouse out, I picked up the fridge and slammed it on the floor.  Nothing happened…so I moved the fridge to discover that I had smashed the mouse in the process – thus earning the title of Matt the Mouse Slayer.

I know what you are thinking… what does slaying mice have to do with parenting and family ministry?  Well, I’m glad you asked.

You see, a crazed mouse running around in an office is not a good thing.  It creates chaos.  In our kid’s lives, there are a ton of metaphorical mice running around that can create mass chaos in their lives.  As parents, our job is to help examine our kid’s lives to spot the mice and help to get rid of them.  Our kids need us to help protect them from the things that will harm them.  It could be bad relationships that our students need to steer clear of.  Maybe it’s an activity they really want to be a part of, but we know it would cause problems in their lives.  Whatever it is, as parents, God is calling us to be the mice slayers for our kids.

If you have ever killed a mouse in your kid’s life, then you know that in can be an unpleasant thing to do.  Your kids don’t always see what you can see, and most of the time they don’t agree with what you do, but in the end it’s in their best interest.  I encourage you this week to take a look at your kid’s lives.  Look for the potential mice hiding under the refrigerators.  Be the parent God designed you to be.  Be the Mouse Slayer!