Truth vs. Grace

I've been toying around with several blog topics today. There is SO much going on, it's hard to choose. Expect a lot of updates this week. In fact, if you go up to the top right corner of the page, you can have my blogs delivered right to your email inbox.

Today, I want to talk about Truth vs. Grace. Today was one of those days where the kids at RA were just C-R-A-Z-Y. Some people would think I was the "mean" teacher, but I expect our kids to "Behave" in worship. It's not that I want them to be perfect, but I want them to understand and not only respect those around them but respect the ONE whom we are worshiping. So...I make them put away their cell phones. Our middle school class knows that when worship starts they better be standing up, participating. They are learning. The first few weeks it was like pulling teeth, but usually now when worship starts, they are on their feet elbowing their neighbors to stand up as well. I usually separate brothers who can't seem to keep their hands to themselves. Today we had to take away a football, skateboard and have a talk with a 4 year old about stealing sidewalk chalk out of one of the rooms. And you may even think...."Morgan, give the kids a break!" But here is what I've learned. If you expect it from them, they can, and will EVENTUALLY deliver. If it is not expected of them, they will usually not rise to the occasion on their own.

When kids send me messages in txt type, misspelling everything, I make them type it in English. When they put inappropriate messages or pictures on facebook, I call them out on it. Why? Because I want them to know I care. Most kids/teenagers WANT boundaries. They'll never admit it, but they want someone to set the boundary lines in places because they don't want to have to choose where they fall. My setting boundaries and enforcing them, you are actually taking the pressure off of them to have to choose. They want to know that someone cares enough to call them out. If the ONLY attention they get is when they do something bad...expect bad behavior because at least someone is noticing. I think sometimes, a few of our kids do things to test me to see if I will say something and I do...Every time. But I also try to find ways to encourage the good  behavior.

There are a lot of inner city kids that have a home life that goes one of two ways. Either 1: The parents don't care what they do so they get away with everything and get caught up in some bad behavior. Or 2: The parents are super strict and probably are sometimes abrasive to the point of abuse. I try to deliver truth with grace. I'll call them out, correct the action, and then affirm who they are. The little boy who stole the chalk today looked and me with puppy dog eyes. We talked about why stealing was bad. He apologized. I forgave him and then gave him a hug and told him just to ask next time, I would have given it to him. Glenn and I are tough on our middle school class because we want to see them succeed. We want them to speak and write in clear English for THEIR sake and future. We make them pray in class. We make them search the scriptures. We have consequences for their actions both good and bad. We've had to kick some out of class for the day when they can't behave but we also have fun in class. We bring them snacks almost every week. We try to play games and use multi media in our teaching. We hand out hugs.....and you know what? No one has stopped coming to our class. In fact...our class grows every week. If they all came on the same Sunday, we'd have 30-40 kids.

Too much grace with no truth is just as damaging as too much truth without grace. Think about that for a minute. They work together and create beautiful results when practiced as one. Is our Heavenly Father not the same with us? I don't think I understood or practiced this balance until now. In my early days of youth ministry, I wanted the kids to "like" me. I was sometimes afraid to speak the truth. Frankly I don't think my skin was tough enough to handle their responses. In my later years of youth ministry, I think I got so ticked off with self entitled teens who had no respect for authroity that I lost the fun and grace part. Needless to say neither approach produced desirable results and I became more frustrated. When you can speak truth IN love....and be CONSISTENT....that's when trust is earned and ministry really can take place at a deeper level.

We are seeing kids start to open up, starting to be actively involved with a hunger and interest to know more. I snapped this picture today because two of our regular kids were helping a first time visitor find a scripture in the bible. It truly made me smile.

True and lasting change and trust takes time and repetition. Please continue to pray for us that God would open up the doors for us to continue doing life with these students on a deeper level. Pray for an extra sense of grace on the hard days and for the boldness in declaring God's Word in their lives.

I'll close with the following song. It is our new "class song." We end with it almost every week. We split up the rap parts to different students today and are planning on learning it and performing it in church sometime in the future. The kids love it and I pray every week that the words they've come to learn will sink deep and take root in their hearts.

May we all find the balance between truth and grace in our relationships and learn to take the background.

For His Renown,
Morgan

Check back often this week. I'll probably be posting almost daily. :) Thanks for following and sharing with your friends.