The BOX

The other night on our trip away with some teens from our youth group, I asked them to write down three things that they were passionate about. It was a way to try and help them evaluate what was most important in their lives. The answers given were quite as I had expected. Our culture has really shaped teens and has told them what is most important.

For me it was a reminder once again that I have passion for three things. I am not including my family or God in these three things because they are already a given in my life. Without God nothing else matters and without family life would be empty. That being said, here is what I am passionate about:


1. Missions--- I love doing ministry in other nations. I love being Christ's hands and feet to those much less fortunate than us. I am most fulfilled when I am making a tangible difference in the lives of those with so much less than we have. The irony, is that in many ways, they have a deeper faith and trust in God because they have grown to trust Him and not allow the trap of money and possessions to become their God.


2. The fatherless---my heart goes out and I have deep compassion for the child that is orphaned. No child deserves to be forgotten and neglected. I want my life to be one that impacts the fatherless. Fathers have such a critical role to play in the life of hurting children and teens. My desire is to be a "father to the fatherless".


3. Hurting people--- I don't mean I like to hurt people as one of the teens joked. I love to bring help to those experiencing grief, loss, crisis, pain etc... In the midst of deep hurt or times of trauma for people they require someone that they can talk to and help them walk through their trial. This comes from various places including natural disasters, man made disasters, unexpected loss, repetitive trauma.


Overall there is a constant theme. I care about the poor, the disadvantaged and the hurting! 


This is the challenge for me. Our culture has taught us to look out for me first. How do I reconcile these two things? Do I really fit in with this culture? What can I do to help change that? These are the questions I am working through this week.

"When you do it unto the least of these you do it unto me"