“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes. You ought to say instead, “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.” (James 5:13-17)
Last night my wife Nancy and I went and visited a friend of ours and grandmother. We brought her a meal for her family. Her 19 year old grandson tragically died at a party late Saturday night from what unfortunately appears to be an accidental self-inflicted gun wound. I was introduced to her grandson, I will call him “Adam,” around 5 years ago when he was 14 years old. He “dated” my daughter for awhile. Adam was a good kid at heart. He had a kind and loving heart who wanted to do the right thing. Unfortunately, Adam did not have the most upright role models in his life for which to model. His two brothers drank, used drugs, committed crimes, were in and out of trouble with the law and in and out of jail. He did not grow up in a “church family” that instilled morals and values. So he grew up imitating and being discipled by what he knew. In the year and a half my family had access to him we loved him and poured into him. Adam attended many of the house church gatherings in our home. When he was 15 he made the decision to accept Jesus and I baptized him. My family continued to love and share life with him. When Adam and my daughter “Broke Up” as teens do, my access to him grew less and less.
There were many issues and layers that led to the death of 19 year old Adam. As I sat in the living room of his crying grandmother my mind went to “I wish I had done more, poured into him more.” I am still reflecting on that this morning. Four years ago I performed Adam’s baptism. This Saturday I will perform his funeral. Today 40% or less families attend church or are active in their faith. That number declined more because of covid. That mens 60% or more of our children and youth are not raised knowing the OT Bible stories of Noah, Daniel, or Joseph. They have not participated in a Christmas story of the birth of Jesus or His resurrection at Easter. In the lives of our youth their may still be a grandparent, aunt or other family member who can pour into them the love of Jesus. But as time passes, these family members do as well. We need to be missionaries, not to a foreign country, but to our youth and to our young parents. We need to actively and intentionally seek to interact into their lives. As they need us in their lives.
My family, I pray as you sit there and read this reflection, you will ask the Holy Spirit to place in your mind and heart the names of children, youth, or young parents you have contact with like neighborhood kids and those of friends. I pray you will open your life to them, open your homes to them, and intentionally seek out and support outreaches in schools and other places that allow you to be present in their lives. “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” And he placed his hands on them” (Matthew 19:14). I pray you imitate Jesus, and let the children come to you, in Jesus; name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I would love for you to please share your reflections with myself or others using the comment box below.
My wife Nancy and I are in a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
