I have been on two trips with them, grown in faith with them, and just talked to them about life. They encourage me and lift me up to the full potential God has for me. I love them as much as I love my real family. I got used to being with people who want to follow God's will as much as I do.
This picture is my youth group in Daytona Beach this summer at our youth conference!
Anyways, recently I hung out with teenagers that I hadn't seen in a while. A lot of them were friends with me in middle school before we broke into two different high schools. It was great getting to catch up with them and see what they've been doing. Later into the night though, it got real. I realized just how different normal, worldly teenagers are compared to teenagers who aren't willing to be like the world. HUGE DIFFERENCE! We played "Never Have I Ever" and I wish I would've remembered this verse then: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." -1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
It literally tears me apart seeing people that I care about making such bad decisions. I'm not saying me and my church friends don't make mistakes, but we have repented and really tried to turn from sin. We are still going to sin when we slip up because all fall short of the glory of God, but there are sins that you can easily turn away from. Having sex before marriage, getting drunk underage, doing drugs. These are teenagers doing this. And I know there are plenty of adults too. People need to hear about Jesus, y'all. He can and WILL change your life and make you despise those sins if you let him. He did it to me. I used to think that sounded cool to do when I got older, because that's what this corrupt world we live in tells you. The message to do these things is everywhere. At school, at work, at parties, even in your own home on your TV and internet. You get to choose whether or not you let it take control of your life.
Here's where it gets worse. The people that do these things, all they can do is laugh about it. They don't feel bad about it. It's too normal. They get caught, and they laugh. They get drunk; oh, what a funny story to tell their friends. They get rumors spread about them because they hooked up with someone, and laugh while telling everyone. (I'm not saying the people I was with did all these things!) But, I can't imagine the shame that comes along with these things on the inside. I know they felt awful about everything they've done at some point. And now, to mask the hurt, they make it a funny, embarrassing story.
We can't expect non-Christians to act like Christians - they don't have the same morals. Here's where our job as Christians comes in. We need to reach out to them. We need to show the light of Christ that we have in us. People recognize it. I get asked why I'm so positive most of the time. It's not because I'm happy. Happiness is temporary. Anything can ruin happiness in a second. It's because I have everlasting joy. We need to share that joy in tangible ways with these people. If they see it, they will want it too. Because I promise you, they might be happy at that party drinking, but I don't think they are going to feel so happy in the morning or once everyone finds out.
There's a song that we sang in Nicaragua with the children that I had heard as a child as well.
It goes...
I've got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart...
Or in Spanish...
Yo tengo gozo, gozo, gozo, gozo en mi corazon...
Look it up and sing it. It'll be in your head the rest of the day!
"May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13
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