I Let My Kids Run in Church

I know just the title of this blog makes some of you shudder and break into cold sweats. Last year at our church, my boys were racing each other and a friend from one end of a hallway to the other {it’s a long stretch and really cannot be denied a good race}. Someone from our church told them to stop running and they were both like…”what’s the deal?” Not to her face of course, because they know that talking back to an adult like that would get them the “look” as well as a stern speech on respect and all that from me. They asked me later why they couldn’t run…and to be very honest…all I could think of was my “Baptist” answers. I mean that’s right up there with licking the remains out of the communion cup and not bowing your head and/or closing your eyes when you pray. It’s just an unwritten church rule along with learning the books of the Bible in order BY HEART and singing the first, second and fourth verse of the hymns.

Who started that? I’m no Bible scholar, but I don’t remember ever reading that God is displeased by running in church. I know when my boys are running…they’re happy…they’re using energy…they’re competing. All because God made them that way. Yes, they could go outside, but as long as they’re not running over anyone…what’s the harm? It’s the hallway…not even the sanctuary. It’s not holy ground because if it was, I would totally have them run barefoot.