Hope for the Future - August 4
Today’s Readings - Psalm 80; 2 Samuel 7:1-17; Acts 18:1-11; Mark 8:11-21
I recently completed my third year as the Session Director for the Elementary I session at Camp McDowell. We had 125 rising third through fifth graders. This is one of my very favorite age groups and so I choose to forget each year that it will likely be the hottest of all the sessions. I do it for the campers but also for the young adults who serve as the staff. Many of them I’ve come to know through camp and some I’ve been fortunate to know as they’ve grown up. The majority fell in love with camp as campers and then when they became old enough, applied to serve on staff. One of these is our youngest son. Their energy and love for camp and for each other is inspiring and contagious.
Camp is their home away from home and the other staff as their family. One of the older counselors told me “Camp is our Church.” They’re impressionable, loyal to a fault, sometimes naïve, and their emotions can run full throttle. A member of the staff told me, “Our generation tends towards knee-jerk reactions,” what I describe as reacting rather than acting. Which in truth is characteristic of being young and unfortunately some of us older folks, too.
They are the heart of what happens at camp and a big part of what makes it so special to so many people. A mom reported that her son lost a tooth while at camp during my session and that the tooth fairy came, bringing Gatorade and other surprises. That’s just one of the many ways the staff help these campers create memories that will last a lifetime.
In today’s gospel Jesus asks, “18Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear?” The disciples are worried about something tangible believing it’s what they require for sustenance when what they need is simply to trust that Jesus will provide all they require and more. I’m afraid we all occasionally fall into this trap, doubting we have what it takes, thinking we need measurable success to succeed in life. We tend to get hyper-focused on the latest problem and miss the big picture, often investing in a fairy-tale perfect scenario that never happens. It can take a lifetime of experience to trust that sometimes what we thought success looks like isn’t necessarily what in the end sustains us with a soul filling sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Jesus must have taught and retaught the same truths to the disciples dozens of times and yet it took the resurrection to convince many of them. Learning to trust and have faith in God’s all-encompassing presence and love can take years. What if this younger generation becomes discouraged and disillusioned with the divisive ways the of world and even of the church and gives up on all of it?
In John’s Daily Reflection from last week, he reminded us that God’s healing love and compassion can bring hope even when the world resists. I believe in the potential of our youth, and that we can be the face of Christ for them, modeling the love and compassion they need to have hope, to keep believing in the infinite mysteries of love and faith. They are the future of the church, a future we need to invest in with every ounce of compassion and patience that we can muster to ensure they have what they need to succeed.
Faithfully,
Sally+
Reflection and Challenge - Do you have a young person in your life that you care about? When was the last time you intentionally spent time with him or her? Take the time to listen, to share your faith story and ask them to share theirs.