Faith Lab: Age to Age

In the book “Tuesdays with Morrie” there is a conversation about getting older.  Morrie tells Mitch, the book’s author, “I embrace aging.”  He explains that if he were to stay 21 he would not know the wonders of being 22 or 54 or any other age.  Morrie goes on to say,  “I am every age, up to my own.”

A little while ago someone from my elementary school growing up found and scanned some of our old yearbooks into facebook and then tagged a bunch of us as like a remember when kind of thing.  I am the one in the top row second from the left.  As I look at that picture I think about all of the memories that I had then, but would never want to go back.  In fact Morrie’s words ring true for me.  I have had first hand experience of every age, up to 28.  How cool is that!  The trouble comes when we forget some of these ages.  We forget about parts of our lives that make us, us. 

In student ministry we should embrace the ages that we still are.  We are not just our current age, but we are all of our years.  When I talk to students who are going through a hard time or who make strange decisions I have to stop myself from thinking “What are you doing?”  I have to remember my teenage self.  I have to remember when my brain was literally not making connections the way it does now. 

Perhaps an extension of grace to our students is taking the time to remember the things that mattered most to us during our middle and high school time.  Telling an 8th grade guy to “suck it up” and essentially walk it off when he tells you that he broke up with the love of his life (a relationship lasting 4 days and a lunch shift) may not be the most pastoral thing to do.  Feelings and emotions are real and intense for our students. 

In the coming year make an effort to remembers your ages (all of them) and better connect with your students. 

Be God’s

Chris