For the past several weeks our teens have been working through a series of lessons on the issue of poverty. Each week we have been given a challenge which is designed to help us “identify with poverty.” One week we had to spend a day without using any screen-based technology (TV, smartphone, computer). Another week we had to eat all of our meals using only a broken plastic fork. Last week we slept on the floor every night. Through these challenges we hope to get a glimpse of the brokenness that many people experience on a daily basis. The good news is that God did not design our world to be so broken. The story of Scripture is the story of a God who is healing a broken and hurting world. The story will reach its wonderful conclusion when Jesus returns and sets the world right. The climax was the death and resurrection of Jesus, where sin and death were defeated, and the something better we are looking for was made possible.
As we strive to understand poverty better and to see God’s solution to this problem, we are encouraging the youth to realize that God is calling his people into this story. He wants us to make our story part of his story, the story of making things right. As Kelly showed us from Philippians 2 on Sunday morning, joining God’s story requires an adjustment of our attitudes. We are to have an attitude that is “the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5) which looks “not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil 2:4). This is an attitude of humility and service.
Identifying with poverty is just the first step. What really matters it that our teens act on what they have learned, and we invite you to join us on that journey. First, you can pray for our teens. The weekend of May 13-16 we will be heading to Regina to continue learning about poverty and to spend some time in practical service. We will be working there with Gentle Road Church of Christ. Pray that this trip will help our students to grow in their relationships with God as they develop an attitude of service. Second, consider how you too can join God’s story. Who can you serve this week? How can you serve your community and be a part of bringing hope to a broken world?
