It Happened at Easter
I was on security duty Easter Sunday, an astute observer of everything and everybody. All the little ones dressed in their Easter outfits, the pre-teens helping their baby brothers and sisters search for the plastic eggs, and the pre-adults (teenagers) dressed “as usual” and trying hard to be cool.
It suddenly dawned on me to look at just how many “pre’s” were here. I would guess at maybe 40? Wow! I was impressed! I don’t attend a large place of worship so that was quite a remarkable number. I was proud, not only of the kids but also of their parents and our church. So, what was the big deal?
I have taught youth Sunday School for approximately 30 years, in big churches and small. The one thing they all had in common? As the youth grew older, fewer of them attended church. Seeing such many them here was very gratifying. I’m going to give part of the credit for that to their church and their parents because, in my opinion, that’s who made the kids WANT to be here. Let’s face it, whether an adult or a young person we won’t attend church if it isn’t enjoyable. The influence of the youth director, the teachers and parents, and their love of God gave these young people the desire to want to be in the Lord’s House. The parents were following the instructions of Deuteronomy 6:6-7, ‘These words that’s I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up’. Also, the wisdom of Proverbs 22:6, ‘Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it’.
There may be many of you who will disagree with my next statement: I believe the teenagers of today are faced with far more temptations, personal problems and difficult choices than all of us had when we were that age. Before you turn off your computer and walk away thinking I don’t have a clue of what I’m saying, please hear me out.
How, you ask, is it tougher to be a teenager today than it was “back in the day”? Rather than turning this into a novel instead of an article, consider a few of the following differences of now versus then:
*The internet. It allows them to not just read, but actually see things, watch things that are beyond our imagination. Vile, evil things. And they can access it anytime using their smartphones. We didn’t have personal phones when we were 12 or 13 years old, right? A lot of what they are accessing can be hidden from their parents. Don’t think they can’t do that.
*They are INUNDATED with the endless sickness of evil done worldwide just by watching the evening news on TV.
*And consider these things: some schools are teaching gender identity as early as the third grade. Boys going to girl’s restrooms and locker rooms. Transgender stories. Binary and non-binary. Using “correct pronouns”. Woke-ism. LGBTQ+. Critical race theory. Marxism. Drugs we’ve never heard of, but are easily accessible. And all of this found in our public schools. Okay, enough of that! Ugh!
As I observed the youth of our church at Easter, all these thoughts ran through my mind. I actually said to myself, I’m glad I’m not a teenager today. But once again, as I looked around, my heart swelled to see all the young people here at church. This is where they are forming the principles they will live by. They are learning what truth really is, and what to do when confronted with today’s non-biblical ideas. Church is where they are taught to love, not hate, and to find the good in others. It’s where they learn not to argue about grey areas, things not of God, but to stand for their Christian beliefs. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needed not be ashamed, rightly knowing the Word of Truth”.
So, Thank You parents, for bringing your children to church, for raising them in a Godly way. Thank You churches, youth leaders and pastors for teaching TRUTH to these young people. These kids came to have fun in Christian fellowship, enjoy each other away from the distractions of the world, and to hear once again the wonderful story of Easter.
In His service, and yours,
Mike Jared
Board member of Terri Clark Ministries
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