People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16 CSB).

It can be tempting to view kids ministry as second-rate ministry or worse—an interruption to “more important things.” Of course, we love them and would do anything for them. But let’s admit it. Kids are interruptions. They wake us up at night, interrupt our peaceful moments, and make house projects take longer. They break glasses, scratch the table, and are never quite sure where their shoes are. I’m sure there have been times when your kids have had the audacity to interrupt your Bible reading. That impatience of the disciples can creep into our hearts. We can be like the disciples and view children as interruptions to what matters most. The disciples asked Jesus,”Who’s the greatest in the kingdom?” (Matthew 18:1). We find ourselves asking, “Which ministry is the most important?” Then we rank them with worldly wisdom. Preaching. The worship team. Youth. Theology class. And somewhere near the bottom, what sometimes feels like little more than crowd control, is kids ministry. Serving in kids ministry can seem like a step away from the “more important” things of God.

As you volunteer in kids ministry this year, let this truth comfort you. When you invest in kids ministry, you are investing in the very heart of Christ. Jesus’ heart moves away from the convenient, reciprocal relationship, the immediately fruitful, or the flashy. His heart is compelled toward those who can’t pay him back, click “like” on Facebook, or tithe. But children are near the heart of Christ. “Let the little children come to me.”

It’s true that when you serve in kids ministry, few people will know your name, and you might not be seen on a stage. Kids ministry is an opportunity to step away from the glory-seeking ministry of the immature disciples and toward the cross-driven heart of our Savior who calls us all to be like children. Remember this: When you are in kids ministry, you are near to the heart of Jesus. If you want to be close to the heart of Jesus, stay in kids ministry because Jesus loves kids.