I want to thank Jared for his question this morning. My answer was too long to share in a tweet so I thought I’d answer his question here. You can watch Jared’s question below.
@PaulTurnerToopic.twitter.com/8hT2Cfb8Ii
— Jared Elrod (@jaredelrod) February 4, 2016
The podcast Jared refers to can be found below. I’d love to have you as a subscriber. Subscribe HERE.
Can you focus on the future too much and the present too little? The short answer is yes. If we are constantly leading our kids into the future we won’t enjoy or admire the process it will require to get there. It’s the journey not the destination right?
If we are going to cast vision with our students there are things we should include and exclude.
Promises
We can promise our kids much of anything in this fast paced, ever changing world. We don’t know the future except that God will be present in our journey towards it and we will do a best to achieve what God has put in our hearts on the way there.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” James 4:13
Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes ‘ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil. Matthew 5:37
The only promises we can make are the ones God makes to all believers.
Bravado
Once again. We don’t know the future. we can’t brag about what we don’t know. The future has made liars out of many a preacher and “prophet”.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Proverbs 27:1
Arrogance is a non-starter. Youth Ministry is like a leaf in a hurricane. Some kids leave us, others come in. Programs die and we start new ones. There are no silver bullets or sure things except God is present.
In other words be brave but be humble about the future.
Assumptions and Presumptions
We ought not sell the future as if it will be easy. We should cast a strong vision for the future but include the hard things that we may experience on the way there. Kids deserve to know that the future we are casting requires hard work, faith, giving, prayer and commitment.
Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
HCS
In other words, don’t sell an easy button (Staples) to the future, it cheats the kids out of giving their best.
If I could offer one more tip, it would be casting vision to the students in weeks and months but to tuck away our vision for the years and decades ahead for ourselves, releasing it in due season.
Hope this helps Jared, thanks again for your question.
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Your Turn
What visions are you casting to your students right now?
Does it have any of the negative/positive elements above? Which ones?