One of the amazing things I have noticed about teenagers is how perceptive they are, when they want to be. I make this point because I think as a leader of a high school small group, I can’t preach to them about doing the right thing if I’m not doing it myself, they see right through you. I don’t want to get preachy here but you can’t teach and lead students about living Godly, biblical lives if you’re not doing it yourself. When we decided to be involved in student ministry, either as a paid worker or a volunteer, we all made a committment to live our lives as examples to students and not just go by the “do as I say, not as I do” rule.
I could give many examples of living your life in a way that’s a great example to to students but one that really comes to mind is in your own daily Bible study. Teens know when you’re faking it. We can’t tell them how important a quiet time and daily Bible study is if we are not getting fed by the Word ourselves every day. Getting in the Word keeps you connected to God, it helps you stay true to your morals and values, it helps you with problems that come up in your life and also when students come to you with a problem.
It’s like someone who has never run a marathon deciding that tomorrow they are going to run a marathon. You might make it for the first mile or so, if your lucky, but you’re going to fall out of the race pretty fast compared to those who are committed to running. Same thing applies here. If I’m getting fed from the Bible on a regular basis, its easy for me to turn to the Bible in times of need and also to refer students there. The Bible is God’s love letter to us and for lack of a better term, it’s an “owner’s manual” for life. The more you know the Bible, the more you’re able to use it in life applications.
Question: Are you getting in the Word on a regular basis?
