I remember when I met him 3 years ago. It was over a very strange lunch encounter. Asking him to order lunch was very challenging because we did not know he was trying to save money and not eat. The next 2 years were a combination of drum lessons, basic Christian foundation and discipline bible studies as well as trying to 'play catching' with him. I use the term 'play catching' to mean that it was not easy to secure his commitment to service in Parts or to learn from the Word of God.
Our Creator and Provider is indeed gracious. He has never failed to allow me to continue meeting up with this dear student of mine. There was one very sad episode where I knew the student was struggling but was not open to receive help but through prayer and continual care, the Lord allowed different staff in YFC to maintain contact with him.
Over this year, he asked for a break from serving with Parts, to concentrate on building his faith through lessons with a church mentor, to learn to serve God with a right perspective to his salvation. What really encouraged me was him sharing the many lessons he has been learning. I see his thirst for good Christian literature and tonight's bible study was actually a result of him wanting to learn how to do bible study, to grow to maturity in Christ. This comes from a boy who was afraid to study the bible because he has a slightly weaker command of the English Language.
Sometimes I wonder how much effort should I give to chase after a new student, to befriend him (with an agenda of course haha), to grow him in his understanding of his faith and the gospel and to involve him in service in YFC. This is with the understanding that we have other students/volunteers to minister to as well as projects and programs that we are involved with.
A once very dear friend of mine once said that YFC people are very task-oriented. It hurt but it got me thinking. In fact I still think about the statement today, especially when I'm hurting and discouraged and tired and losing my focus and asked to seemingly 'sacrifice' so much for kingdom work. Just why do I/we seem so concerned about doing things, at this intensity, at this level of commitment?
We studied the idea of worship from Gen 22 tonight and we read how Abraham willingly bound his son in preparation to slay him in obedience to God's instructions. Isaac was very precious to him and yet Abraham understood that his precious son was provided by the Lord. We are only able to give because we have been given much. I think if we are truly God's people who love what He loves and are heart-broken by things that break His, we will look at the change in a person's life and never even remember our own part in 'giving' or 'sacrificing' to the Lord.
I think the wonderful work that our good and gracious God has done in and through me for this one dear student is affirmation enough to my questions about being 'task-oriented'. Let me reiterate that it is our good and gracious God who is working. Let us never be shamefully audacious to ever think otherwise.
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