I wrote this last Thursday, in the midst of looking for small group curriculum, when I was struck with the business of ministry. The heart of God is what I want to emulate. I hope to find a curriculum that will help my students seek and find God.
It’s been almost a year that I have been at youth ministry full time. Baptism by fire is the way around here. I have received no formal training for this before or since I have been at it. It’s kind of been a figure it out as you go along process. It has stretched me and created me into a person much more dependent on God. I now do things like lead worship and prepare lessons and speak to a large group of kids. These are things I would have never volunteered for and thought I could never do. And with some formal lessons, I’m sure I could do them better. But I’m doing them with little thought given to how big a deal it has been for my comfort zone to have grown so much. God has grown me a whole lot in the last year.
But crossing this uncharted territory has made me even more aware of who I am and what I believe. It has challenged and changed some of what I used to know. It makes me appreciate things and people from some prior church experiences even more. It makes me see where I have taken things for granted. It makes me sorry I did.
I have come to know a lot of people in different situations. It has made me want to love those who are unloved. It has taught me not to judge, because a person can be just as unloved in a nice part of town, as in the slums. Children grow up with only their basic physical needs being met, in a life where parents work, and kids have become a burden. Parents don't remember or do not know that children are God's reward, as Psalm 127:3-5 reminded me. "Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the children born in ones youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court."
Some of my favorite people are those I had so wrongly judged "unworthy" when I first met them. Now, I ask God to let me see people as he sees them. I have realized that my friend was so right when she said, “I would rather love people into heaven than scare them out of hell.” I am learning to offer grace first, and know that God will judge. Why do we Christian’s tend to be so judgmental? And the same ugly things happen in the church just as in the rest of the world, the only difference is that we hurt each other in the name of Jesus. And that slap leaves a much greater sting when it comes from a “Christian” than when it comes from someone outside the church.
Some of my favorite people are those I had so wrongly judged "unworthy" when I first met them. Now, I ask God to let me see people as he sees them. I have realized that my friend was so right when she said, “I would rather love people into heaven than scare them out of hell.” I am learning to offer grace first, and know that God will judge. Why do we Christian’s tend to be so judgmental? And the same ugly things happen in the church just as in the rest of the world, the only difference is that we hurt each other in the name of Jesus. And that slap leaves a much greater sting when it comes from a “Christian” than when it comes from someone outside the church.
Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Because we all mess up, I have discovered how important grace and forgiveness are. When I extend grace to someone who does not necessarily “deserve” it, it’s on them whether or not to accept that invitation. And should they choose not to, God will deal with them. However, I am so glad that my God is a God of grace, compassion and mercy.
No comments:
Post a Comment