Ugly Like Me

I heard a song on the radio the other day that I hadn't heard in a few years. I was on my way home from work, flipping through channels, trying to unwind from what had been a long and stressful day at work. Truthfully it had been a long month of work getting ready for another ministry year launch. As with almost anything we do in life, the kick off of a new year presents the opportunity to step back and see the bigger picture, or get so lost in the details that we lose perspective on who we serve and why we are here.

This particular day was a "lost in the details" day. Despite checking several things off my "to do list", I left work feeling more overwhelmed by what had to be done tomorrow than I was when I started work that morning. Then a song came on the radio...

The song was "Outside" by Staind. I was familiar with the song from radio play in my college days, but I honestly had never paid attention to the lyrics. For whatever reason, a couple lines from the chorus jumped out at me that day.

I can see through you
See your true colors
'Cause inside you're ugly
You're ugly like me

I am not certain what the song is about, but in this particular case I couldn't help but think about the students we serve. They are bombarded everyday with products and messages that are packaged neatly, but offer them false hope. As adults who watch youth culture, it is easy to believe that if we package ourselves nicely, we will have the opportunity to really influence students with truth, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Students can see through us, and they know we are "ugly" too.

This is why authenticity in our relationships with students is so important. If we pretend we have it all together, we are only fooling ourselves. Students can smell fake coming a mile away. They may spend massive amounts of money on products the media has told them will make them whole, but the slightest hint of fakeness in relationship will scare them away instantly.

We all really desire to be authentic, but are we willing to do what it takes to be authentic? Are we willing to be vulnerable? Are we willing to let students see the ugliness in our story?

I'm not suggesting that we should walk around with our hearts on our sleeves. It is extremely important that we maintain professionalism and draw healthy boundaries, but we need to balance that by owning our mistakes and letting students take an honest look at who we are and where we have come from.

Important Note: There are some things in our stories that students don't necessarily need to hear. Being authentic isn't about airing our dirty laundry or telling our deepest darkest secrets, it's about about maintaining a healthy vulnerability about our struggles, and talking about God's work in our lives through these experiences. Discernment is of extreme importance.

What Keeps You Coming Back for More - Part 2

One of the things I love most about my job is the opportunity to serve with an outstanding team of volunteers. I am constantly humbled and overwhelmed by their wisdom, passion, devotion, and creativity. If you happen to be one of said volunteers, please know that you are amazing and it truly is an honor to serve with you.

Every volunteer is significant and every volunteer leaves a legacy. Whether it's one year, or twenty, God uses the time we give. Last week I blogged about the volunteers in our ministry who come back year after year. I wrote about a volunteer named Scott, who has given the last eighteen years of his life serving Jr. High students and leaders, and why I think he "comes back for more" each year. You can check it out here if you like.

Scott is one of the most humble and wise men I know. After reading my thoughts he agreed to add some of his own. Here they are. Enjoy and feel free to leave comments. I would love to pass them on to him:

"First I want to confirm a couple of the statements that you put forth.

First, I do believe that God made me for this. I often tell leaders that if they are doing what God has called them to do they will find life in that mission. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shown up at LifeLine dead beat tired, not feeling well or just plain old wanting a night off but by the time the students arrive I’m all in and when it’s over I’m ready to go for another round. I can’t think of another ministry that pulls at my heart like Jr. High. Add that up and yes, I believe God made me for this.

I try to keep the big picture in mind. One of the sermon tid-bits from my past that bolsters me is this, “ministry is brutal”. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to say, “I’m done”. There have been many disappointments and frustrations but if this is indeed what God has called me to do then what other choice do I have. As long as I don’t feel God moving me to do something else then why would I change.

And then I wanted to add two other ideas;

The people whom I labor with are an encouragement to continue on. There is something special about serving our Creator with other likeminded individuals. There is a bond and camaraderie that is difficult to explain. These people become near and dear as we encourage each other to be the best we can be at our respective roles. In truth they become what I would loosely define a small group.

The paydays are sweet. We don’t do it for the payday but man-oh-man is it sweet when it happens. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ended up in tears watching the baptism of a kid who’s come through the LifeLine, or when we hear stories of students giving their lives to Christ. Does it get any better than that? Isn’t that what this is all about? I’m to the point now that I have students who have passed through my sphere of influence and are now returning to become leaders themselves. How cool is that? Our labor is not in vain."