November 9, 2011
Zambia
The Restroom Wall Everyone Should Read.
There is a great little restaurant in a
town near where I live called Brunchie’s. I get inspired in their restroom…really!
Their restroom walls (I have been in the men’s and I assume the same is the
same for the women’s) are adorned with inspirational sayings by many famous
people such as John Wooten. I have included my personal favorite as a prelude
for a topic about which I spend considerable time ruminating and praying.
“Anyone
who thinks they are too small to make a difference has never been in a dark
room with a mosquito.”
Can we please stop telling students and
teenagers that they are too young, too inexperienced, too under resourced or
too whatever we think they are that will keep them from doing something
meaningful with their lives for the kingdom of God. And by
“meaningful” I do not mean that they can kick, hit, or throw a ball
farther than or more accurately than others. I do not mean that they can run
faster or farther than others; I do not mean that they can do more tricks or
flips on a four wheel device of any kind: I do not mean that they make straight
A’s and get university scholarships. All those things may be great hobbies or
means to better ends but they can never determine “meaning.”
And can we please start affirming and
supporting students who may not want to attend university immediately after
high school but may want to take a different approach to higher learning. Or
maybe want to take the approach of learning from Someone higher altogether
I had a dream. It was almost a vision in
that it was so real I woke up thinking it was real and to this day still can
feel, hear, see everything that happened in the dream. I have had a few dreams
very similar to this one. So far all but two have come to pass and I believe
this one is in process and coming to pass in this generation. The message of
the dream is not unique but it serves as a stark and definite reminder of
something very important.
In the dream I was standing in a small
room. Outside the room was gathered a large number of young people and
students; you know…teenagers. They all wanted to come into the room but there
was not enough space. I remember praying and suddenly the room expanded so that
all those outside could come into the room. But as soon as that group came in
and filled the room, another, larger group appeared outside this now larger
room. I prayed again and the room expanded again and this next group filed into
the room. This process repeated itself several more times until there was a
large auditorium that included a balcony filled with young people and students
waiting on a word from God.
At that moment in the dream I heard the
Lord say, “I am using young people to change the world.”
The dream occurred several years ago and
since that time I have focused my life on helping young people and students
recognize this call from God to do something significant that will contribute
to a change in our world. And since I have been focused on this goal I have met
many, many young people and students who can tell me without a doubt that God
has been calling them for years to do something for others who cannot do for
themselves and to be a voice for those who do not have a voice in this world.
For instance; two years ago I made a
presentation/invitation for a student mission trip to Africa at a high school
faith based morning club. At the end of the club several students came up to me
a said that God has been talking to them about serving in Africa since they
were small a children. Three of the students in that meeting decided to go on
the mission trip that year. (In fact I just received and email from
one of those students telling me that her parents have approved for her to go
on another GO Team next June to Capetown. Thanks mom and dad).
A year ago I was in Jinja, Uganda staying in a home for HIV positive orphan boys. I met a young man who was
living there with the boys for 6 months. He was between undergrad school and
medical school. He told me he wanted to take 6 months off from school and live
with these boys so that he wouldn’t forget why he was going to medical school.
He said that many of his friends started out with good intentions but then
because of the stress or the “financial opportunities” or the advice
of parents they lost or forgot their original intent and never went on to serve
the underserved. I told him he is one of the wisest young men I have met.
By the way, that home for those boys
(and one for HIV positive orphan girls) was started by a 21 year young woman
almost 5 years ago.
I just finished a book about another
young high school girl who gave her heart to Jesus and then to the suffering
children of Uganda. Her name is Katie Davis. The book is entitled, Kisses from
Katie. It chronicles the journey of this young girl as she serves in Uganda
after high school, then moves to Uganda and begins fostering, one by one, 14
children and starts a feeding program for over 400 other orphaned and suffering
children. I highly recommend this book
for students and parents alike.
While many of us are sitting in our
living rooms watching reality shows these young prophets are showing us what
reality is all about. And I know there are thousands of others who are called,
ready and waiting.
I could list many reasons why God has
chosen to focus on this young generation and I could list many reasons why more
are not responding in positive ways but you parents may already be mad at me so
let’s just pray that we and our children will hear what the Spirit is saying in
these days. There is a world that can’t afford to wait for us to waste anymore
time.
Just a thought!
