Maybe you have a kid like James* in your youth program. Maybe you have more than one. James is the kid that I wrote off quickly after meeting him. Disrespectful to myself and the other leaders, goofs off too much to take anything seriously, and doesn’t show up enough to feel invested in the program. I accept that he attends and I try to love him as I would any other student, but deep down I keep my expectations incredibly low, never expecting him to rise past his current level of spiritual (im)maturity.
And then I came across the stories of Paul Potts and Susan Boyle and spent a long time thinking about how I treat students like James. Paul is a cellphone salesman and Susan is an unemployed 47 year old with a unique sense of humor and fashion. I imagine these two have been written off as void of potential more times than they would like to know. But then they’re given a chance to do what they were created to do. And WOW. Just watch the videos linked below.
Although I might view students like James as unlikely candidates for future leadership potential, spiritual maturity, or success, I always need to ask, “What does God have in mind?” Doesn’t He have a tendency to do big things with the underdogs? There might even be a bible story of two about him doing something up this alley.
Even when dealing with the most difficult and unlikeable students, the ones that I assume will never reach any real spiritual maturity, is there ever a point at which I write off a student and his/her future potential? I suppose I should ask whether God ever writes any of us off, deciding that we’re become irredeemable, not up to the task He has planned for our lives.
Am I called to treat students based on their likelihood of doing something great? Or am I, are we, called to love each student as a precious child of God, set apart for greater things than these? Because whether the student is Paul or Susan or James, God has something great for him or her to accomplish for his glory.
*Name changed for obvious reason.
Paul Potts
Susan Boyle
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