An eye for an eye, a tire for a side, a life for a life.

An eye for an eye.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right!!” How many times have you heard your parents relentlessly preach this line?! My favorite reply was “Yeah, but three rights make a U-Turn!” (I thought my wit was outstanding… but I never let on that I, in actual fact, got that line from Bullwinkle, the monotone moose!) No matter how many times my parents reminded me, it took me many years to understand fully what this meant. Sure I knew my “bad” actions in response to my sisters’ taunts didn’t make the situation right… but I thought that it made me feel just a little better in the end. Now that I am 22 and directing a youth program for inner-city kids, I hear myself echoing the same line that was spoken over me many years ago. My relentless plea seems to dissipate into thin air because no matter how many different ways I hide the same line, they just don’t seem to get it!

Why?

At times this can be frustrating, but if I couldn’t grasp the application when I was young and living in a culture fairly saturated in good morals, how can a child living amongst crime, violence, hurt, and pain grasp the same concept?


A tire for a side.

Tonight a man in a building on my street was stabbed. Police cars and ambulances blitzed the scene. The flashing lights beckoned the neighborhood to come and see the “parade”. It was 11pm and young children, less than 5 years old, were watching as the officials dealt with the situation. They heard from the grapevine of bystanders of how a man was stabbed because he had earlier slashed the tires of his enemy’s car.

An eye for an eye… a tire for a side.

There was a buzz in the air. Not one of franticness, but of fascination. It was a reality show being played before their very eyes. And they ate it all up.

So did the little boy who may forever believe that when someone wrongs you, you must take severe action to prove that you will stand up for yourself, for your family, and for your 4 door station wagon.


A life for a life.

“The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

The young boy who has the preconceived notion of “an eye or an eye” may one day end up in one of my youth programs. I will inevitably say to him “two wrongs don’t make a right”, but what his ears hear will be drowned out by the static of the world. The world is very real to these kids. It doesn’t short change them; it doesn’t hide who it is. So why do we candy-coat the gospel? Is it an attempt to sweeten their lips? To lure them in with shallow lessons?

“While we stand on our dignity, generations are going to Hell.” (Catherine Booth).

Let’s not compromise our passion for lost souls by being afraid to speak the truth. God’s Word is so powerful that it can cut to the heart (Acts 2:37). This world is real to these kids; we too need to be real.

Of course we need to sensitive to remember that there are times when a person cannot bear every gospel truth at once (John 16:12). However if we only ever feed our children the same gummy bear of truth; how will they ever stomach an everlasting gobstopper?

Let’s build up our young people with the truth of the Word of God so that they can be beacons of light to this world (Matthew 5:14). Beacons that draw a crowd not to simply spy into the situation at hand, but beacons that beckon the world to arms! To fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12) of faith for our God!

To stand up when others would rather sit idly by.

To stand out when others would rather blend in.

And to stand firm on the promises of God when everyone else turns away.

This is our mission; our life; our love.

Is your Inbox greater than your Outbox?

The alarm goes off... wake up, shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, check my e-mail, go to the gym, do homework, run downstairs for class... oh, and spend time with God.

It's not just the mornings that tend to be busy, but our whole lives seem to be running on a tight schedule. There is alot to do and a little time to do it in and too often we neglect the things that don't seem as important. But since when is time alone with God lowest on the priority list.

I'm sure we can all remember a time when God was at the top of the "To Do" list, so to speak. But then one day you didn't get enough time to read your bible, then the next there isn't enough time for a hearty prayer, then all of a sudden you realize that you are running on empty. Not just empty physically, but empty spiritually.

This past week we were able to go to Reload, NYC. It was a time spent with 800 other youth workers from all over NY to "Reload" ourselves. It was such a positive experience to be able to feed on the word of God and wrestle with issues facing youths and youth workers today. The day lead me to ponder the question: "Is your Inbox greater than your Outbox?" In this I mean, Is your time spend getting ministered to larger than the time your minister to others. There is only so much we can give of ourselves before we lose ourselves. If we continue to give and give and give but don't leave time to receive from the Holy Spirit, all of our efforts will be in vain.

Sometimes it seems like there isn't enough time to spend a large chunk of it daily with God, but it is the ONE thing that will give us energy for our day!

A Red Bull energy drink only provides a shot of energy, but we will soon burn out. The Holy Spirit provides never ending gasoline for the fir to keep burning.

But I want to be Patient NOW!!!

Patience is one of those things that we all want to have, but don’t particularly want to go through the process of receiving it! If can be a long and strenuous route, but it is funny how, with God, those things that takes the longest and are the hardest to get, are the most rewarding!
During my experience in the Railton class of 2008-2010 I endured a time of growing in patience. Through a long list of small mistakes of filing wrong forms and missing paperwork, I came to find that my visa application to continue studying at Railton was denied and I would have to return home to Australia during Preview Weekend in early February (when I found out it was January 26th!). It was something that I didn’t see coming, but once it hit it was like a semi-trailer with its high beam lights on! All of a sudden everything I knew was turned upside down and I would have to leave some of my best friends in a few days! Not only did I have to return to Australia, I had to wait to reapply for the next school year because I could not apply for the same visa again in the same school year! I thought that I would only be home 2-3 months before I would be able to return to visit my friends in NY and ME, and my sister in MN. Well, this wasn’t the case! It turns out that a denied visa is not looked upon with vigor when applying for another visa. A process that should have taken a few weeks to a few months took SIX MONTHS! It seemed like all I could do during this time was wait… and wait… and then wait some more. I did all that I could do, and the rest was in the hands of the American Government. However, the American Government was not the only one with my case in their hands; I was blessed to know and be assured and first and foremost, my case was in the hands of God! It was a long and grueling process of waiting, but I came to find that this was a part of God’s ultimate plan. Had I gone back to America early I would not have been able to spend the quality time with my friends and family at home and been able to impart a little Christ into their lives. Looking back I consider it with great joy that I was able to go through this process! I am currently back at Railton and could think of no better place for me to be at this exact moment. I am learning great truths and about the Lord and about my calling in Youth Ministry and loving every step of the way!
While I am still learning to be patient every day, I thank God that He was able to teach me true patience during this trying time. Even though I struggled and squirmed at first, I was able to rest in His loving arms and be truly comforted by His words: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).” In His arms there is no better place to be!