I always love to watch teens go through phases where they are literally crazy. I laugh and weep at the same time when it comes to how someone can be a great helper at one minute and then a total hellion the next second. We had a good turnout for church last night and had a few visitors. It never fails that one of our wilder types will decide to come, which I want, yet, I know that their behavior will be on the edge. So my wife and another college student intern ends up playing referee.
We have a great time of worship with a few of our college interns share what they are doing and why they choose to work with New City – Barrio. As we finish and exit one of my more reliable teens obviously had enough sugar to last a week and is literally flying all over the place. We load up all of the vehicles and everyone heads over to our McDonalds. I know that the manager has a love hate type of relationship with us. We will bring 30-40 over and spend some $$.
After ordering literally 50 plus hot n spicy’s and mcdoubles everyone is fed and chilling and talking. I end up being able to talk to one of our visitors who is a local pastor, that has an interest in helping with what we are about. I can tell that he has some experience with teens in the hood and is able to relax. I sit and I explain what we are all about and share about an upcoming conference with CCDA. His eyes light up when I tell him this is John Perkin’s group.
As my wife exits with some of the wild ‘herd’ I am shocked to see the manager, an older Hispanic Man, come over and ask for my phone number and gives me a free coupon for a combo meal. I explain to him that I would love to meet and discover how I could partner with him to see a few of my older tends could get a job with him and learn about how to work, be responsible and have the joy of getting a paycheck.
I think back to my youth and how at one moment I could come across as being the more mature and responsible teen who understood how to ‘suck’ up to my mom. I did well in school, had multiple jobs, played in a rock band but also did crazy things. I could have easily gone off the deep end between drugs and sex but God spared me for the most part. So why is it the case that too often adults tend to over react to youth and want to put them in a box, very small box that forces them to be boring adults too soon in their young lives.
We painted a house on Saturday with over 30 teens helping out with about 10 or so adults watching. It was fun, yes some paint got splattered on a few of us but the house is done and Tanisha is happy. Learning by doing is what changes lives. I’m afraid that this generation growing up isn’t as capable of sitting in a lecture setting too long before getting bored and going wild. So I believe that Jesus was the master at teaching by walking, watching and explaining by doing.
Yeah, I am sure I’ll be back at the McDonalds, with the same manager, who the next time might be asking me to clean up a mess left by our group. Yet, I could see a gleam in his eye and could tell he understood what we are doing. Now, I ‘m not sure about the African American Pastor who was listening to me, watching and amazed that we actually had youth that like church, doing mercy work and actually liked each other in spite of the racial differences that were obvious.
I think I understand why Jesus said often that we needed to become like little children if we are going to heaven. Too often we want everyone to age prematurely and miss out on real life. I want to be like a child that can enjoy the moment and not be totally focused on work, money, expectations and living up to someone else’s box.
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