This past week, I volunteered for a Christian camp for young
men and women. Some were local, and others were not, but it was a great week.
We had lots of sugar, stayed up late, and spent a good deal of time talking
about God.
The one thing that I kept wondering before going to camp was
how to best share Christ with these young people, most of whom have heard talk
of Jesus since birth, but as we all know, talking about God everyday from
infancy doesn’t make us Christian or even Christ-like. Don’t get me wrong, it
is good to talk of Jesus and who He is, but it doesn’t always result in a heart
change or even a tangible God experience. Once saved, always saved doesn’t work
for me.
However, I was reminded of my own journey and I was able to
share it with the young women in my cabin, other staff members, and those I was
with. And I find that in this sharing of my life, I was able to remember and
glorify God. It is Christ and His redeeming grace that I am sharing when I tell
my story. I didn’t hide who I am or what I’ve done, and I hope they felt free
to be themselves as well and feel the release that comes from being honest with
themselves and others. But, it is in these moments of transparency that I felt
God the most during the last week.
I can’t tell you how many times the people around me
admitted something and all I did was shrug my shoulders telling them that God
works on each of us in His own way; that I wasn’t here to tell them if they
were right or wrong. I wasn’t there to tell them to change their lives. I was
there to encourage, tell them whether or not they were on the right track and
question them if and when necessary, but judgment wasn’t in my job description.
That’s God’s, mostly because He sees hearts, and He alone is blameless.
After finishing my week at youth camp, I was exhausted.
Sadly, I am not fifteen anymore, and the late nights do take a toll. But I
can’t help but appreciate those in these kids lives who encourage them on a
daily and weekly basis. The teachers, mentors, youth counselors, and pastors
that are able to come into their lives and speak to youth on their level. These
people spiritually parent our kids, and fill the voids that exist as a result
of absent parents, I have the feeling that many teachers, youth pastors,
mentors, and youth counselors have felt something along these lines. Young
people today do not need our judgment or disapproval because that isn’t fair.
They need our love.
