I began writing this on Wednesday night after Edge.
About an hour ago, after I got home from Edge Night (middle
school night), I posted this on Facebook:
My
favorite quotes from middle schoolers at Edge tonight:
1.
"I'm sorry me and my brother haven't been coming. We have karate on the
same night at the same time and my mom wants us to be going more. I FINALLY
convinced her to let us come to Edge tonight."
-WIN!
That made me feel really good.
2.
"Wait, Jesus is God?"
-Got
some work to do.
I
posted it because they were kind of comical, especially coupled together. But
then I realized what a blessing those insights are. I think in middle school
ministry it is very easy to miss some trans formative moments or just moments
that show the power of how God is working.
A
couple weeks ago a Core Member told me that one of her 6th graders
led their closing prayer. Within the prayer he added giving thanks for me and
for what I do. Wow, what a moment. And couple that with tonight, where a 6th
grader had to convince his mom to let he and his brother come, wow! I have no
idea why he likes coming. Maybe he just thinks it’s fun, and that’s ok. But
maybe it’s more.
But,
what a blessing to have these reminders that we can never miss a moment to
speak Jesus into people’s lives. I think so many times we assume that people at
church know Jesus, know who he is, KNOW THAT HE LOVES THEM. But experience will
show that that is not true. In ministry we get to see that even though some
kids go through some sort of formation their whole life, if it isn’t being
lived at home, it’s all just words, it’s all mist, it all just goes in one ear
(if it makes it in at all) and out the other. What needs to happen is a real
encounter with God. They need to realize that God truly loves them, not just “Jesus
loves me this I know, for the bible, or my parents, or my catechist, or my
priest, or my grandparents tells me so”.
If
you love someone, you talk about them all the time. If you love someone, you
let your beloved know. If we know God is love and we love him, we must talk
about him, especially by name.
“We
love because he first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
Check
out Fr. Dave Pivonka’s The Wild Goose series’ episode one, God’s Love Poured Out,
and don’t forget, God loves you.
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