Campfire Stories

Living Examples

Flying home. My mind is flooded with emotions and information permeating every inch of my being. My body cannot help but be exhausted from the strain of the past five days - but my mind is alive with the wonderment of what comes next. What will change in my ministry paradigms? What will change in my living relationship with a living Christ?

"Always preach the gospel; if necessary, use words." On the subway trip to the airport this afternoon I and three other youth ministers from Minnesota engaged in various conversations with the people on the train. We laughed. We talked about the weather. We talked about youth pastoring. And I know that those people noticed a difference in our personalities. We had been rained on (a lot) also, yet there was still a joy that transcended the frustrations that we shared with sucky weather. Then while waiting for a delayed plane, in small talk with the woman sitting next to me she said, "well we'll pray that you make your connecting flight." A few moments later she asked me what I do, and I told her that I was a youth pastor. She was very excited at this and said something that will stick with me the rest of my life. "Really?? I normally don't talk about praying with strangers, but for some reason I felt like I could with you. Now I understand why." How cool.

That is my prayer. That something is exuberated from my being that screams difference - something that speaks of spiritual change. I don't want what defines me to be as surface level and legalistic as my actions (although those are important). I believe that the culture we are living in wants to see something authentic. Something real. Real, broken, human people attempting to live a life of holiness, motivated to joy by the overwhelming grace that has been given us. I want my difference to be seen in my smile. In the shimmer of life radiated on my eyes. In the conversations that go beyond weather and sports teams. I want to be real. Vulnerable. Authentic. Holy. Who I am: Disobiedient, but ultimately a child of God, loved by a father who is unfailing, and struggling daily to attain the holiness that I desire. The best part of all this is that I can't do it. I simply can't. With every pure and noble desire of my heart driving me I simply do not have the ability... by myself that is. But I do have God on my side! How sweet the sound of that is.

posted by Devo @ 10:24 PM |