It was edging on one in the morning and I was rummaging through old files trying to get an idea for the next day's lesson. As a rule I plan weeks in advance and we were supposed to spend the morning reviewing what we had learned in our nine-week summer. But there was something missing. Each week we had been learning about God's amazing love. We spent so much time talking about what God has done that I felt like I had failed to challenge the kids with their response to this gift. The late hour made my creativity useless so I was digging through nearly ten years of memory verses and object lessons filed carefully in my cabinet. Digging a little deeper, I pulled out a tattered handwritten copy of II Corinthians 5:17, illustrated with construction paper cut-outs and markers. This was it, I was sure. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" II Corinthians 5:17

"God's love is amazing," I told the kids the next morning. "It helps us choose the new life and leave the old things behind." The kids scooted closer and we formed a tight little huddle as I continued, "What do you think is the old life?"

I got the normal litany of societal woes…killing, shooting, kidnapping. In the neighborhood we know about these things all too well, but still we can distance ourselves from crimes so heinous. These are "somebody else's sins". The kids list off the things they haven't done. Everyone's safe. We don't need grace. Save forgiveness for someone else.

Perhaps these things are too lofty for a group of restless eight and nine year old to understand. But I doubt that. It's easier to let God spend himself on the murderers and embezzlers than to let him touch the parts of our hearts that are selfish and deceptive. And so…the old is at risk of never becoming new. All because we refuse to acknowledge that it is old. We're happier with being "less old" than someone else. But God's not.

And surely God doesn't want his children to live daily in condemnation and remorse for his sake. He knows we're human. He created us, fully aware of our capabilities. He wants us to leave that behind, including all the guilt we use to bind our sins securely on our backs. His forgiveness is complete. But he does insist that we stand in light of his goodness…not just simply measure ourselves against each other.

"Yeah…" I said quietly, "Those are the old things. But what about for us? What is old in us?"

"Popping flowers…" Juan called out, "Picking them from other people's yards."

"Yeah…" This was it. It was our old man.

This summer, "other people's flowers" has been a big issue for us. As we walk through the neighborhood, gathering the kids for club, we make our way through blocks that are poor and run-down and then cross the street to blocks with beautiful, well cared for Victorian homes. The small patches of grass are manicured and each boasts a beautiful flower garden. Inevitably one of the kids reaches out and starts picking the flowers. Before we can intervene there are at least four or five bare stems where flowers used to be. It happens nearly every day. Sometimes we are so busy keeping kids out of the street, carrying tired four-year olds and watching out for broken glass, that we fail to even notice. We repeat it often, "Don't pick flowers that don't belong to you." But it just hasn't sunk in. These kids love to put them in their pockets, wear them in their hair or give them as gifts to the volunteers. There is no regard to the fact that these flowers belong to someone.

In my community of hand-outs and welfare there is a low sense of ownership and consequence. Why take care of something that you didn't have to work for? Hence…the flower heads get popped off. Graffiti goes on building walls. Windows are broken and streets are trash laden.

And no, "flower picking" won't land you in jail. It's not that big of a deal…but still, it matters. It's a symptom of a lack of respect. The kids know they're not supposed to take flowers from a neighbor's yard. They do anyway. Around here…flower picking is the old self.

Sitting on our wood floor, on the last day of summer club, the message was simple. God's love changes us. Love does not simply fall upon us, offering ease and comfort. Love molds us. Transforms us. Makes us into something more than we could ever imagine. Love is active and it sets us into motion. So you can see, it's really not about the flowers. Nor is it about killing, shooting and kidnapping…it's about knowing Jesus. Experiencing his love. And that knowledge lays down what was old and invites us to a new way of living.

We walked home together late that afternoon. No one picked a flower. I didn't even have to remind anyone. Love had done its work. We are in Christ…new creations. The old is going. The new is growing a little each day.

* all names and identifying details have been changed to protect anonymity. © Amy Beth Augustin Barlow 2003