Life-Speak

The more I interact with my own kids, the more I realize the importance of protecting them.

I desire them to live a full life, to enjoy life, to experience God through life, here on Earth.

As an adult, I understand life is as full of disappointment as it is excitement. Sadness and mourning as much as happiness and rejoicing. Loss as much as contentment. Lack as much as abundance.

Yet, as my friend shared this evening, I'm thankful for the naivety, of their present stage...

Life is grand, except when it's not.
It's often more troubling than it is at peace.
It's often more frustrating than it is joyful.
It's often more depressing than it is uplifting.

And this, from the outlook of the adult. How kids respond to life and circumstance are largely influenced by how adults and people in positions of influence respond to life and circumstance.

If I am calm in high-stress situations, I instill the importance of such a trait while teaching them that such a response is possible.  Otherwise, I show the potential disaster of responding from emotion and fail to teach them self-control... among other things.

Pastors all the more. Adults learn what they are capable of from the leaders in their lives, whether in business, politics or religion. So, if we remain somewhat pliable from influencers in our lives, all the more for kids and youth watching how the pastors and ministry leaders respond when life comes against them.

And life does come against us all. It rains on the just and the unjust. Pastors aren't better or greater than the rest of us. They are prone to problems like the rest of us. They struggle to respond appropriately, like the rest of us. They wrestle with their faith like the rest of us. They are, after all, people like the rest of us... and more importantly, sinners like all of us.

All the more reason, as leaders in matters of faith, we should want them strong in the Lord, not only for our benefit as adults, but for the benefit of our youth.

Thanks for joining me, this #youthPastorWednesday. Pray that pastors, especially those leading our youth, would be strong in the Lord. May their faith be fortified, in spite of the challenges, difficulties and frustrations they face. May God give them discernment in their decisions, as well as in the conversations they share, as they discuss their experience and the how their faith impacted and influenced the same. Pray a hedge over their ministries, for protection over the innocence of our youth. May the enemies attacks against them be thwarted. May the principles of God's Word be instilled deep with the souls of our young people, that indeed, when they are old, they will not depart from the plans and purposes God has for their lives.

Life is not about us.
Never was, never will be.
Everything speaks to the person(s) around us.
May our lives speak truth;
Bearing witness to Jesus Christ.
For the glory of God.

- PNC

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