Today’s author is Prince of Peace’s Music Coordinator, Milt Warkentien.
Graduation time is always a bit hard for me as I know that many of the youth I’ve had the chance to get to know over the years I won’t see much of, or possibly never again, as they begin a new chapter of their life.
When Tammy Wilkinson was at PoP, a phrase she often used was, “How are the children?” How are “our” children?
I always wonder if we, the church, have done our duty to give the children and the youth a place to feel welcomed, safe, and people to share their joys, sorrows, questions, etc.
PoP has long stated their desire to do this and is very generous in the youth/children fund raising efforts, but have we succeeded in doing so? Do the children and youth who come through PoP know that they are loved by God no matter what? Do they have the foundation of God’s love for them to get them through the joys and sorrows that will arise throughout their life? Do they have a love for God so that they’ll want to find a church home after PoP, or still come to PoP?
Luke 18:15–16 says,
People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the little children to him and said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Are our actions and words showing the love Jesus offers to the children, or are our actions and words coming across more like the disciples?
My hope for our youth and children is that we have been a village so that they felt welcomed, safe and could ask tough questions. My prayer is that they know the love that God has for them and will look to find a community of faith that will continue to nurture them.
I leave you with Michael and Deborah Smith’s song “Friends.”
Dear God, help us be beacons of God’s love, so people know that God loves them, and that people have that foundation to get through what life brings them. Amen