Devotional Thoughts: Confessions from an unexpected church youth group volunteer

Teaching junior high school kids is a challenge. They are developing the mental skills to follow along but they are, in the end, still middle school kids who at one moment can be paying attention and at another moment bouncing off the walls either in their minds or literally.

Once upon a time in human history, kids at that age worked the land on the farm or other forms of gainful employment. They had to grow up real fast. Today, they enter this extended limbo state that can extend out into college and graduate school. I'm a prime example of living in that limbo state as I went for a PhD and didn't get my first "real" job until I was thirty!

So on one hand, there is a delay in growing up but because of the high tech high speed life of the modern age, they are exposed to more stuff more quickly than at any other time in human history.

What is one to do with these kids in our youth program?

As I reflect on my role as a volunteer in our church's youth program, I am both humbled and honored.

It is an honor that God would give me the opportunity to be involved with trying to impact the lives of these young people. It is an honor to be sharing this term of service with my team mates.

It is humbling to know that so much of what I do is completely out of my hands. Indeed, I try my best to prepare and share from the Scriptures and my life experience but whether those seeds sprout and grow I do not control and may not even get to see even if it does.

It is humbling to know that I'm more than twice the age of middle-schoolers yet I still struggle with life like they do. The contexts are different and how it plays out is different but the core issues are the same.

For instance, kids want to be accepted by their peers. I do too. I'd like to think I've learned to be more at peace with who God made me but I find there are still times I kick myself thinking, I'm being oh so teenage dramatic when I seek and do not obtain the approval of others and I get all bent of of shape because of it.

Another example is finding your own path. Kids are starting to think about what they want to do and be as they get older. They don't spend every waking moment thinking about it but once in while that thought intrudes into their play time and school and study time. As an adult, I think about the future and what I'm going to do a bit more and yes, I confess, I can get anxious about it.

Finally, there is this whole, I'm want to believe and follow Jesus thing. Teens are beginning to think about what that means. When they were little kids, it was the faith of their fathers and mothers. Now, they are wrestling with "is it my faith?" Do I really buy this stuff I'm hearing? How do I live this out? That journey never ends. I'm a 40-something guy and I still wrestle with living for Jesus. At the end of the day, I'm confessing to God how I sinned during the day. There are still many times, I stare at the ceiling and wonder, how come I am not as fully devoted to following Jesus as I should be? So often, I'm thinking, the good I should be doing I don't do and the evil I don't want to do, I do. Lord, have mercy!

I hope I can be an example to my young friends on this journey of faith. I hope I can share with them that it is (1) worth the struggle, (2) the ways the Scriptures give wisdom for life and (3) the love of God through my presence, deeds and words.

St. Paul said it so much more eloquently a long time ago in 2 Timothy 3:10-17.

You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings - what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Lord, help me to live for you. Forgive me my faults and sins. Help me to grow as a man of devotion to you and love for my neighbor. God give me love, courage and persistence to love the students you bring to our youth group. Thank you for the opportunity. May you bless each one today and this week. Amen.