Tag, You're It!
by Nyesha Smith, Neighborhood Youth Ministries full-time staffPictured: Nyesha (top left) with a group of youth at the park.
This summer we played a ton of tag. Out of all the fun outdoor activities, tag was definitely a favorite. There was freeze tag, tag with the adult leaders, tag the boys, and the list continues. It was actually quite nice to see all the kids, teenagers, and whoever else was in the park come together and have a great time chasing each other. Needless to say, there was much laughter and pure happiness. Who would have known that having the kids join together to chase the leaders would have been such a wonderful example of how God can sometimes work: bringing His family together in the most unconventional way?
Thinking about the game of tag, I reflected upon how God used one of our teen interns to "catch our youth." If anyone knew D, they knew he loved to be around kids. But asking him to interact with some of the more difficult children would be an adventure in itself. The excuses he would conjure up paired with his indifferent attitude towards them made for tough situations. "But you see how she acts, she's crazy," would be his response. We would always encourage him to be positive and love them, because you never know what might be going on in their lives outside the park. "You may be the only good thing that's in her life. Don't take that responsibility lightly, but help her to grow," we would encourage.
God has a funny way of maturing His children. Sometime He puts the most difficult situations and people in front of you, not to discourage you, but to build your character and to show the world who He is. For D, he had plenty of opportunities to mature; and we had the pleasure of witnessing them. In the beginning, when a youth would make an unkind statement, he would hold his tongue and ignore them or direct the youth to an adult leader. Later, when similar situations occurred, he would point out the youth's comments so he or she may correct what was said. By summer's end, D not only corrected negative comments, but actively explained the importance of that youth being a great example to others. He not only did it with love but he affirmed that youth. I truly believe that by the end of the summer he no longer loathed the idea of hanging with the difficult kids.
Praise God for using D to catch our youth. In the game of tag, the game ends when there is no one left to be caught. I know God will continue to use D to catch others so that we can all be on the same team. I cannot wait until the day where there will be no more kids left to catch at the park for His Kingdom.
