I was listening to Tim’s podcast (his first, so go check it out) today, and was hit with some thoughts about confronting teens (and people in general) about sin. Tim uses a passage from Micah 2 that talks to the people about how they were not truly looking for God’s will, but their own.
The main thought I had after listening to the podcast is that we all are afraid of hurting our relationship with our teens. None of us want to get on a teenager’s bad side by pointing out sin in their life. But the reality is that we need to be responsible to call them out when we do see it. It is part of the role of Christian believers, as shepherds, to call out sin and walk alongside them as they struggle with the reality of their sins.
Over the years I have had several occasions and several students whom I have held relationships with and have had to call out on sins in their lives, and some walked away as a result. It has been hard. It never gets easier. In fact, the deeper the relationship, the harder it gets. But I have taken solace in the knowledge that I am following Christ’s example and command to help train and shepherd these teens as best I can; this is just a small part of our relationship. And like any relationship, if there are real roots there, the teenager will take our words to heart (maybe after balking and running away from us) and will invite us to walk alongside them.
Tim gives great advice in his podcast. Go listen to it.
Filed under: Blogging, Instruction, Ministry, Shout Out, Youth Ministry
