A many few months back I had a conversation with one of "MyKids" concerning a situation that she got in trouble with at school. Being new to the school and also to middle school - brings more pressure concerning personal decisions. There is a little more freedom in the day to make choices and choose wisely. There are multiple teachers, multiple students to interact with compared to elementary school and of course a bigger environment with class changes, football games and other activities. But to make wise choices often times come with who we hang out with. See we all tend to navigate to people we are most like. Adults - students - youth - its all basically the same. A few days after that conversation - I asked her to read a piece of scripture and her eyes got big. It clicked and Gods word came alive in her heart. Not saying it wasn't there all along but for this season in time and in this experience - God spoke directly in.
1 Corinthians 15:33- Bad company corrupts good character.
It is true for adults as well. See it may have been that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It may have been her friends idea and decision to do what they did - but they got caught and knowing it was wrong and not walking away or stopping it ... got her in the same trouble and the same punishment regardless. Every so often - I hand her my bible and ask her to read 1 Corinthians 15:33. She smiles and is reminded - Hey we all have to examine our friends and choose them wisely.
Last night I had a conversation with my niece about dating and being friends. I was asked if I was too old to remember dating and what that was like. Can you believe that? I am not that old.... anywho, I do remember that those relationships that did not work out, they usually ended in a lost friendship. The relationship and friendship could not over come it all and continue. Youths today are not much different than when I was a kid. As I venture more into the student ministry and get involved in their lives and speak in their lives - I feel I have to reflect back to when I was their age. But as I do - I find similarities in my own life today - at 43.
See the greatest challenges in life are not unique to the teen years. We all struggle with a healthy self image, healthy friendships, God honoring lifestyles and authentic faith. Our values that we stand for and own give us a life with a moral compass. Its the human journey - not the teenage journey. We may be more experienced and have gone through more things but we have to guide our youth, counsel them along the way not just condescend them and tell them where and when they mess up. The real matter becomes a heart issue. See the battle we all face is not on the outside... its on the inside. The HEART. What that heart is made up of and from - makes us who we are. So even as a leader - a parent or friend - we have to break down strange vocabulary and the methods of communication - (facebook, twitter and texting) and get to the hearts of those around us. They are only tools but needed sometimes to get to the place we need the relationship to get to. Only then can we experience the universal language in ministry. We can then further the relationship that we are investing in. Authentic relationship!
Its the foundation that has to be in place if we are to really get to the hearts of our children, our students and in our friends - especially with FAITH intact.
Along this journey - I am finding my own spirit maturing and my faith deepening.
Yes Lord, Yes.
"MyKid" today is choosing wisely, has such a peaceful and loving of others spirit, is on fire for the things of God and reaching out to all around her for the name of Jesus. Her Faith intact........ Praise God.
Who is with me on this journey?
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