Monday, February 15
The Wisdom of Youth
And
don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your
life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.—1
Timothy 4:12 (The Messages)
It’s a typical Sunday
morning, the youth are flopped on the couches in the Youth Room, stretched out
and checking in on how everyone’s week has been. We are connecting with one
another, listening to each other’s stories. On this particular Sunday we are
reading about how Jesus has invited some smelly fisherman to come and follow
him. We talked about the opportunity this opened for them when they had the
courage to say, “yes.” “How would your
life be changed if you really followed Jesus?” This was a question we asked the
youth next, the question that hopefully shifts us all into thinking about how
Jesus changes our life. They pondered the idea, and talked about what it meant
to follow Jesus. One of the youth responded, “I’d feel more empowered to be
me.” The room almost went silent. Yes! Following Jesus does not take us further
from being ourselves, but rather invites us to be truly ourselves. What if we
lived fully from a place of being truly who we are? Julian of Norwich, the 12th
century Christian mystic, says we are not just made by God, we are made of God.
When we follow Jesus we discover our “of God-ness” our true selves are revealed
and we are indeed empowered to be ourselves.
Creator
God, give us courage each day to live fully into who we are. Made by you and of
you. Amen.
Cami Twilling
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