I spend my week days in the trenches, if you will. Immersed in the future of tomorrow. Shaping young minds to become responsible citizens of our great nation. Okay, actually I spend each day attempting to get those stinkers to listen me. Trying to make sure SOMETHING I say is sinking into their busy minds. Cracking jokes and acting *normal* crazy to keep their attention. This week I even played dodgeball. Me. Dodgeball. Doesn't go together. But in all of that, I make connections and build relationships. Or at least I try to.
One conversation with a student recently struck me, hard. She told me she thought it was "weird" I was married to a youth pastor. Why? Because I didn't "talk about God and Jesus all the time" like other "religious" people she knew. After further explanation, she reassured me that this was a good thing. That she appreciated that I was "normal" and didn't go "throwing my religion" on people. But I left that conversation feeling really disappointed in myself. Do my students not know I love Jesus? Am I not showing, speaking and relaying the message of hope, grace and love that Jesus has commanded me to do?
There is nothing more I want to do than show Jesus' love to my students. But I walk a fine line. Speaking of my faith isn't something I feel comfortable doing at work. It's not something that would be supported by many around me.
Because of the previous sentences, I should be all the more bold. No one else around there is going to share the good news of Jesus with those kids. Maybe I'm all they have. And if that is true, am I doing all I can to share that news?
I'm not. I really am not. And that is a hard pill to swallow. And a hard sentence to write. And a hard blog to post on social media where people from work and church, family and friends may read. But I have to be real and honest in this situation.
Pray for my students. Pray for me to be bold. And let's all take a good look at ourselves...are we doing ALL we can to share our love of Jesus with those around us? Because if we were, I think our world would be a much different place.
One conversation with a student recently struck me, hard. She told me she thought it was "weird" I was married to a youth pastor. Why? Because I didn't "talk about God and Jesus all the time" like other "religious" people she knew. After further explanation, she reassured me that this was a good thing. That she appreciated that I was "normal" and didn't go "throwing my religion" on people. But I left that conversation feeling really disappointed in myself. Do my students not know I love Jesus? Am I not showing, speaking and relaying the message of hope, grace and love that Jesus has commanded me to do?
There is nothing more I want to do than show Jesus' love to my students. But I walk a fine line. Speaking of my faith isn't something I feel comfortable doing at work. It's not something that would be supported by many around me.
Because of the previous sentences, I should be all the more bold. No one else around there is going to share the good news of Jesus with those kids. Maybe I'm all they have. And if that is true, am I doing all I can to share that news?
I'm not. I really am not. And that is a hard pill to swallow. And a hard sentence to write. And a hard blog to post on social media where people from work and church, family and friends may read. But I have to be real and honest in this situation.
Pray for my students. Pray for me to be bold. And let's all take a good look at ourselves...are we doing ALL we can to share our love of Jesus with those around us? Because if we were, I think our world would be a much different place.
You must be sharing something - she knew you were married to a youth pastor AND she felt comfortable enough to share her opinion about Christians in general. I'd say you just did some major witnessing! Mustard seeds Bri.....mustard seeds:)
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