Finished With End Results

I'm learning a new way of thinking. I've been at Desert Springs Church for a year now and I'm learning to evaluate my experiences so that I can grow from them. It’s been said that experience is the best teacher but I'm learning that EVALUATED experience is the best teacher. So here is my evaluated experience...

Every week I encourage students to do BIG things for Jesus. I mean BIG THINGS! One of the disadvantages of always encouraging students to do big things is that it takes time to accomplish those things. That of course means they are rarely awarded for what they accomplish. Follow me here. If they accomplish two “big things” a year that means they will have only been rewarded twice that year for acting on their faith. This is never a good thing. I'm learning that the journey is just as important as the end result. I wonder how much better the end result would be if we encouraged students along their journey instead of applauding their finished product?

Would test grades be higher if students were applauded for the decision to study instead of going watching Transformers? Would the family unit be more peaceful if the student’s attitude was acknowledged more than their daily chores? Would students dress modestly if adults vocalized how beautiful they are and look them in the eyes and thanked them for making/keeping their commitment to honor Christ with their bodies? What would happen if every time a student would talk to someone about Jesus they were applauded, instead of waiting until they brought that kid to church?

Every high school student is in a different place in their journey. The job of loving adults is to come alongside of them, recognize, and encourage them on their journey – not grade them on their spiritual “to do list.” May the youth of Desert Springs Church feel the love and comfort of caring adults who play a vital part in their journey with Christ!