This holy moment is for the one who grew up with Jesus, knows him like a friend, as well as the one who didn’t or doesn’t.
When you think back to your early days as a believer in Jesus, did you always feel like you had a real relationship with Him? Be honest, because I don’t think I had any idea what a “real” relationship was.
The idea of being in a relationship as a young person is overwhelming. Period.
I’ve got a 5th grader and she is boy crazy. God bless her, but the crush list is long and changes daily. When you even mention the word relationship to a young person, their cheeks flush and they clam up.
You remember those days, don’t you? We were there, in the awkward time of our life where we were leaving childhood and entering into the real world. Now the kids seem to enter the real world by the time they are crawling.
This week I had the honor of speaking to a group of middle and high school students. In preparation for our conversation, I asked the Holy Spirit to reveal to me the best way to connect with them.
My goal when talking with students is to help them build a relationship with themselves and with Christ. Period. We aren’t talking about other relationships, because until you know those two, you won’t be your best self anywhere else.
Knowing that the ages would be varied, and the group would be coed, I thought of a common denominator among all of us.
I began by asking the group to raise their hands if they played a team sport. Everyone except two raised their hands quickly. Come to find out those two that didn’t just weren’t playing this season.
Once we established that everyone in the room had or did play on a team, I asked them to share about a favorite coach they admired either in their own experience or a coach of a professional team they followed.
The students named attributes about their admired coaches:
- “A good listener”
- “Helped me to develop as a player”
- “Encouraged us even when we lost”
- “Patient with us”
- “Loving us no matter what”
As the students listed the qualities of their favorite coaches, I asked them if they had plans to play their sport with that particular coach for the rest of their life.
To no surprise, they said no, and probably thought my question was weird based off the looks that I got.
I then ask them if they’d heard of the team “Kingdom of God” and if they knew Coach Jesus.
Their weird looks softened at that and they started to pick up where I was going.
We talked about how our sport seasons will end, and we will move on from the coaches we have. I reminded them that the game of life keeps going, and it’s important that we have a coach to follow all the way through.
When I asked the students what they know about Jesus, I was grateful that they didn’t know much. This allowed for the Holy Spirit to use me to share the character of Christ with them.
I shared stories with them about how Jesus has showed up for me when no one else would. We talked about how scripture tells us how much Jesus loves us and wants to lead us.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,” Philippians 1:9-10
I connected the Coach analogy with Christ and gave a testimony to how He is the greatest of all time.
He is the one that will never leave us when the season is over.
He will be there to encourage us, even if we lose the game.
He will love us unconditionally, even if we make a mistake.
He will never turn his back on us, even if we stray away.
He will continue to develop us as a player as long as we stick with Him.
Even if not a single student felt connected to the message that the Holy Spirit put on my heart that night, I felt refreshed by these words.
I was reminded that Jesus is the greatest leader of all time. The more that I learn about Him, the closer I want to follow him.
The closer that I follow Him, the more people I find it easier to be like Him. I’ve met many others that are already a part of the team. They’ve been solid teammates when it’s a big game day. I’ve also experienced those who want to be on the team, though they don’t fully respect the coach. They typically have to take that up with Him and I stay out of it.
He has led, loved, and encouraged a multitude of believers. As a fellow teammate, it is my goal to lift others up and include those around us who may have never played on team Kingdom of God before.
”Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.[a]
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:5-8
Truth be told I’m not sure if the message I shared got across to anyone. Thankfully, I find peace in the fact that I do not have to worry about it. When the Holy Spirit prompts us or gives us a nudge, we are to trust it and let Jesus do the rest.
“6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
Makenna Curtis
Faith, Family, & Entertainment Writer
Local Pulse Pensacola
