“I know I shouldn’t make excuses. It’s just that this month has been really busy, and I haven’t found time to write. I really think that this blog is important and functions as a great tool to connect me with a larger community, but it’s just hard to find the time.”
Sound familiar? If you’ve ever been in ministry, it should. It’s a problem I’ve run into already. Are you ready for it? People are busy. Like, really busy. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, really. We are a culture of action, where our self-identity and self-value is determined primarily by what we do. Therefore, if I want to gain value in this cultural context, I’ll fill my schedule with as many activities and obligations as I possibly can. I’ll complain about how busy I am, but secretly, I’ll make an idol of my schedule and of my busyness, sacrificing whatever necessary to achieve the coveted status of “busy.”
Have I indulged in a little hyperbole? Of course. But the truth remains the same. To clarify, I am not degrading the value and necessity of a good day’s work. I think what I’m getting at here is that we’ve lost healthy boundaries for work. We’ve dismissed recreation time and relaxation as frivolous and wasteful. And in the process, we’ve lost sight of the plan God has had for us from the beginning.
What does this all have to do with youth? Sadly, the epidemic that started in the adult culture has spread to the youth, and, quite possibly, has affected them far more than it has the older generation. I’m sure the parents’, coaches’, and teachers’ intentions are good. The teenage years are a perfect time to explore the different opportunities that lay before you, and it would be a shame to waste those opportunities. But the youth are full beings too, and even more than adults, they require rest and play.
That’s something I’ve noticed in these past weeks. First, it’s going to be increasingly difficult as the school year progresses to schedule activities that even half of my already small group can attend. Second, I don’t want to be just one more voice, telling the youth that they need to do x, y, and z. I want to offer them Sabbath; I want to provide them with a time and a place where they are free to explore their identity as God’s beloved children without the pressures of “doing.”
That’s where you come in. What are practical, concrete ways to encourage rhythm and rest in the lives of students today? What has worked in the past for you? How can I encourage attendance at what I truly believe to be beneficial activities without adding to their “busyness value?” Your thoughts are welcomed!
‘Til We Meet Again,
Lee
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