I’ve been knee deep in hundreds of children and teenagers for a few weeks now…….and enjoying every minute of it.  Shocking, right?  That’s enough to drive most anyone crazy but it has brought me great joy.  Every year our denomination has three weeks of youth camp and, if possible, I always volunteer.  Church youth camp affected my life in invaluable ways.  Many of the lessons learned during those hot summers still influence the decisions I make in the present.  About midway through the festivities this year I found myself questioning why I loved it so much.  No doubt the extra-curricular activities were a fun way to pass the time but there was something more.  I found myself around people who were hungry for something only the Holy Spirit could provide.  I never had many true Christian friends to hang out with in school.  Most people my age were more interested in involving themselves in activities that only led to trouble.  At camp most everyone around me desired those same spiritual encounters with God that I did.  This year things took a different turn for me as it was the first time my daughter was old enough to attend.  I watched her all week long as she, even at the age of six, was learning to seek God.  I enjoyed watching as other adults around her began speaking into her life.  It was then I realized the word of God was being lived out right in front of my eyes.  It didn’t matter that she wasn’t their daughter.  They saw it as their duty to minister and teach her.

Solomon is attributed as being one of the wisest people to have ever walked this planet.  Strategically placed among the twenty-second chapter of Proverbs, a book Solomon wrote, you will find an important truth.  It simply states, “Train a child in the way he should go:  and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” {Prov 22:6]  I am a product of the many men and women God sent in my direction who chose to take the time to speak into my life.  The man everyone sees now is a direct result of the words of wisdom spoke into my life during youth camps, church services, and more.  I love the fact there are absolutely no stipulation placed in that verse.  Nothing requires you be related to the child or know him/her personally.  It’s our responsibility as Christian men and women to train, teach, and mentor the children and youth around us.  I’m grateful for the encouragement and truth’s spoken over me during my youth.  In many situations those words of wisdom gave me the strength to continue doing what I knew was right.  Look around you?  Who are the children and teenagers God has placed in your life–or even young Christians (I make no reference to age when speaking of young Christians as they come in all ages)?  Are you doing your part?  Not just the ones who seem to be on the right road but, specifically, the ones that tend to get on your nerves.  You know the kid I’m talking about.  Maybe he’s got a smart mouth and probably needs to be on a healthy dose of Ritalin.  Those children need God too—sometimes even more.  Those simple words of wisdom and encouragement could be the very thing that might keep that child out of Satan’s grasp.  Side note:  Make sure the biblical truths you are speaking to others are based on scripture in the context in which it is written.  Don’t use these moments to simply share your opinions.  The things you are teaching them are the methods of warfare they will, hopefully, learn to employ as they battle the darts of the enemy.  Study and know the word in it’s truest form, teach it, and remember—EVERY day is training day!