Thursday • May 17 • 2012

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Spread the Light

God's Kingdom knows no boundaries

Copyright © 2011 The Center for Youth Ministry Training

Once again passion takes over for Americans. This week the world heard of the death of a man...and rejoiced. Every funeral I have ever been to has been emphasized as a celebration of life and there was much sorrowful rejoicing by the community surrounding. The country's reaction to the announcement of Osama bin Laden's death was not an outcry of sorrowful rejoicing celebrating the life of a man; it was a seeping of darkness into the light, which was created by the life of Jesus.

Without a doubt Americans have been pushed, tested, and experienced losses in the wake of 9/11 and the war to follow. I have been living and serving in a military town for the past two years and have seen the effects of war first hand upon family and friends. Soldiers leaving for months at a time to heroically protect our freedoms change the way you see the happenings over seas. I have first hand seen the effects of a father leaving, while his teens grow and mature as dad fights in a land far away. I have been most affected by one family in particular who very nearly paid the biggest sacrifice.

On a Wednesday evening before my programming started, I realized something was "off" with a mother of two of my youth who was also one of my small group leaders. After inquiring about how she was doing I learned that her husband had been wounded while flying a mission in the Middle East and was being transported for an emergency surgery. This mother of three and her now wounded husband instantly became heroes in my eyes. Her husband the pilot had safely landed his aircraft saving the other man in the craft and she held her head high and lead small groups remarking, "This is important to our youth." The solider returned home to recover and become one of the biggest advocates for my ministry, making him even more of a hero. Stories like this one share a different perspective than those joyous celebrations over the death of a man we saw this week.

While men and women all over the world are singing "God Bless America" we still are sitting in the wake of a death. Since when did God bless America with the death of another? The Kingdom of God knows no country boundaries; the Kingdom is a community of believers, a community that believes in the overwhelming loving power and grace of God, a community that believes in the saving sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and a community that believes in loving all those created by God.

Christ stepped into the world as a vast light that opened the eyes of those around him. Some could not handle the light and attempted to stifle it with darkness; however, God's power is bigger and stronger. Today the light of Christ is still an immensely powerful light that surrounds the creation overcoming the darkness as we participate in spreading that light. Christ's light does not celebrate the death of a man who most likely did not know Christ; that light celebrates as a community the families who have been most directly affect by men like bin Laden and choose to worship instead, who choose to say, "This is important to our youth."

Those people who are actively participating in the spreading of light among darkness, today as believers we have the same mission as yesterday and the day before, be a light in the midst of darkness. Choose to worship God for the blessings of family, love, and eternal life; choose to worship God prayerfully considering those who do not know God.

Taking Action

Do you know the military families in your congregation and your community? Identify them and just ask how your youth group can help. Can you mow their yard? Run errands? Baby-sit the kids so that mom or dad can have a night out with friends? Support them in ways other than just prayer. Prayer is essential, but as the saying goes, "Actions speak louder than words." Show the love and light of Christ by taking action to lift up these families.

 

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Copyright © 2011 The Center for Youth Ministry Training.