WHEN YOUTH ARE SPIRITUAL

i use to work with high school kids in ministry. these were great kids to be around, teach spiritual lessons from the bible, help develop a relationship with God, and see them change as they would grow spiritually. we took yearly trips to mexico to work at an orphanage during the summer. what an awesome time to see these american kids reach out to kids from another culture who was less fortunate than themselves. to hug and love on these kids. and more than that...to reach out to each other. the best times were at night when we sat around the camp fire. i would play guitar with some other leaders and lead them into worship songs. there would be sharing around the camp fire, personal thoughts spoken, testimonies of what God was doing in theirs lives, and there were always tears. not from wanting attention, but from a real sense of God being in our presence. sometimes adults can be so "stuffy" and fearful to open up and show a side of themselves that is truly real and revealing. we all know how youth goes through times of rebellion, they think they know everything and parents know nothing. their world is sometimes wrap up too much around fashion, friends, dating, technology, and just having fun. but when you are around teens who are in the mindset of worship.....it's an awesome place to be. a very humbling place that causes grown ups to reevaluate their own hearts and walk with God. we all have our youth still somewhere deep within us. don't be afraid to allow yourself to celebrate that "inner child" or whatever you want to call it (being a kid again) in a different way to connect to God. the bible mentions to "not look down on the youth". i say especially when they are looking "UP" to God.

FINAL THOUGHT: i don't know why or how we, as grown ups, allow ourselves to lose that freedom of being young and celebrating life in a more festive manner. i guess we get so caught up on allowing society and others put us into these boxes, and we get stuck in them. i'm not suggesting you go do something that a teenager would do-just to feel young again. but i am encouraging you to regain those memories of your youth (that energy you had....not the memories of bad behavior) and use it to celebrate life every now and then. to celebrate God with the eyes of a child.

QUESTION: do you have a favorite song that makes you feel young and puts you into a joyful mood?