Remember Who You Are - Christian Worship Tools

To Parents and Other Adults

Too often when adults talk to children, it is with the language of “shoulds” and “oughts.” We recite rules and list “do’s” and “don’ts.” Too often we forget the language of grace. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are saved by grace, that in Christ we live new lives. Paul tells us that since we have become children of God, we will want to live like God’s children live. Remember Who You Are picks up this grace-filled language of Paul. It begins from the point that we are children of God, and assumes that we will want to live like God’s children. All we need to do is remember who we are. Adults can use this book to talk to children using this grace-filled language. Remind them that they are children of God. Then let the children talk about what God’s children do and don’t do. If the children need to be corrected, do it in the same way that Paul corrects the Church (see chapter 6 and 8 of Romans). Of course, it is also important for adults to set the example by remembering who they are too.

God, who created all things living and unliving, created a kangaroo named Larry.

The very first time that Larry left his mother’s pouch, she bent down and whispered lovingly to him, “Larry, remember who you are.”

Larry looked up at his mother with his big kangaroo eyes and asked, “Uh, who am I mother?”

She smiled and answered, “You are a kangaroo, a creature of God. And there are things that kangaroos do, and things that kangaroos do not do. I will teach you the difference.” And so she did.

Every day when Larry started out the door to play, his mother would say, “Larry, remember who you are.” And Larry would remember, before hurrying on down the street to play.

One day, Larry was still remembering who he was, when he found some kids playing leapfrog. “Let’s see,” Larry said to himself, “I’m a kangaroo, and kangaroos love to jump.”

So, Larry joined the kids playing leapfrog. They spent the rest of the day jumping all over the neighborhood, and Larry had a great time.

The next day, as Larry opened the door, his mother called to him, “Larry, remember who you are.”

Larry remembered, and went on down the street where he found some kids smoking cigarettes. “Let’s see,” Larry said to himself, “I’m a kangaroo and kangaroos don’t smoke cigarettes. Only silly humans do that.”

So, Larry hopped on down the street to find someone else to play with.

The next day, as Larry stepped out the door, his mother called after him, “Larry, remember who you are.”

Larry was still remembering when he hopped up to some kids who were boxing. “Let’s see,” Larry said to himself. “I’m a kangaroo, and kangaroos love to box.” So, Larry joined the kids who were boxing. They spent the rest of the day boxing. Of course, they were careful to not hit too hard. After all, it wouldn’t be fun if anyone got hurt.

The next day Larry had one foot out the door and one foot still inside when he heard his mother call out to him, “Larry, remember who you are.”

Larry was still remembering when he saw some kids in a store stealing baseball cards. They were hiding them in their pockets so the clerk would not see them. “Let’s see,” Larry said to himself. “I’m a kangaroo, and girl kangaroos have pockets. But I’m a boy kangaroo, and besides, kangaroos never steal.”

So, Larry hopped on down the street to play with someone else.

The next day it was raining outside, so Larry invited some friends over to play on his balancing beams. He had lots of them in his basement. And Larry was very good at hopping along the beams, because kangaroos have big strong tails to help them keep their balance.

When they tired of the balancing beams, they just sat down and talked. Larry told them about how every time he left his house, his mother would always say, “Larry, remember who you are.”

“If you don’t believe me,” Larry told them, “then just watch this.” Larry walked on tiptoe to the basement window, and very quietly opened it. But Larry had barely stuck his head out the window, when his friends heard Larry’s mother calling out, “Larry, remember who you are.”

“I’m not really going out, Mother,” Larry called back to her. “I was just showing my friends how much you love me.” Then Larry pulled his head back inside, and his friends all told him how lucky he was to be loved so much.

The rain stopped the next day, and Larry started out the door to play. He smiled when he heard his mother call after him, “Larry, remember who you are.”

As Larry hopped down the street, he saw a house on fire. Even worse, he could hear kids still inside the burning house! “Let’s see,” Larry said to himself, “I’m a kangaroo, and kangaroos don’t put out fires.”

Then Larry saw that the kids couldn’t get out of the house because their door was stuck. “Hmmm,” Larry thought to himself, “do kangaroos rescue people?” I really don’t know.”

“But,” he said with a big smile, “kangaroos love to kick!” So, Larry hopped up the house, and kicked the door open with one of his very best kicks. And out came the happy kids!

Larry didn’t get to play any more that day, because everyone in town lined up to congratulate him for being a great hero. And the kids who had been trapped inside the burning house hugged him, their mothers kissed him and their fathers bought him ice cream.

Of course, Larry shared the ice cream with everyone else, because he was a kangaroo and kangaroos don’t eat ice cream.

When Larry’s mother hopped up to him, she hugged and hugged and hugged him for a very long time. She was so proud of her kangaroo son.

She thought Larry was a really great kangaroo. Don’t you think so too?

O-my-gosh! I think Larry has seen us. Look, he’s hopping over here to get closer to us!

Look! He put his big kangaroo eye right up against the page of our book! And he’s looking right at us.

I think that Larry wants to know if we remember who we are, that we are children of God. And Larry probably wants to know if we remember that there are things that children of God do, and things that children of God do not do.

Its okay, Larry. We remember who we are. Thanks for reminding us, though. We like remembering that we are children of God. That’s why we go to church on Sundays. It helps us remember.

And by the way, Larry, you really are a great kangaroo.