September 26, 2014, BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES: PART 2

This week at CATALYST, I continued my theme of the 'BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES'. Last week we talked about stress and anxiety, this week I shared that some people hate school, not because of the insane amount of homework, but because they are mistreated by other people.

The simple truth is that we live in a broken, sin-sick world where the news constantly reports how human beings threaten, abuse and kill other human beings. The Bible encourages us, as people who've chosen to follow Jesus, to go against the flow, to be people who show love, respect and kindness to our friends, to our family members, and to those who are considered to be the "lowest of the low".

Mark 1:40-42 tells us:

"A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean," he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing", he said. "Be healed!" Instantly, the leprosy disappeared and the man was healed."

People with leprosy were considered to be the scum of the earth. This contagious, disfiguring disease meant that they would be kicked out of the city to live in leper colonies. They would never be able to associate with their family and friends. Lepers lived a horrible life filled with loneliness, rejection and mockery. The Bible however says that Jesus was FILLED WITH COMPASSION for the leper he encountered. He put himself in the leper's shoes. Jesus then did the unthinkable: HE TOUCHED THE MAN and the leper was healed.

When we encounter people who might be treated like "lepers", people who are mocked, ridiculed and bullied, we have a choice to make. We can make their lives worse, or we can make their lives better. Like Jesus, we can bring healing into the lives of others by showing them kindness and love. That doesn't mean we need to be best friends with "outcasts", but it's important that we, as followers of Jesus, would do what Jesus would do. Jesus showed kindness and brought healing to people who were lonely, forgotten, mistreated and hurting.

DISCUSSION/TIPS:

COMPASSION EXERCISE:
1. Ask your teen if there is someone in their school (maybe even in one of their classes) who is treated poorly. Take the time to think about what life might be like for that person. How would they feel knowing they had to go to school each morning being bullied or ridiculed?

2. If your teen can't think of anyone or doesn't want to discuss, look for opportunities this week where you notice people who are obviously in need (a homeless person, a person with developmental disabilities, a report on the news) and ask your teen what life might be like for that person. What challenges would they face? Do you think they have many friends? What would Jesus do for that person?

DO A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS:
3. Challenge your teen to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING to make somebody's day or week better. Challenge your teen to do a 'random act of kindness', preferably not for their best friend, but for someone who might live with a lot of ridicule or loneliness. What are some 'random acts of kindness' you could do? (It could be as simple as saying "hi" and using their name every day this week!)

Sept. 19, 2014: BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES Part 1

Teens have just headed back to school and have traded a summer of relative ease and relaxation for a school year full of reports, projects and deadlines. It can certainly be a stressful time, especially when exams are sometimes worth a whopping 30% of their final grade.

This week, I shared about some of my own experiences with stress and what the Bible says about our stress-filled lives:

"Don't be stressed out or worried about anything, but talk to God in every situation and ask him to help you. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with a peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel."

-Philippians 4:6-7

God wants us to talk to him about what stresses us out, and on top of that, he can actually give us a SUPERNATURAL peace in the midst of stomach-turning stress. That doesn't mean that all of our stressful situations will miraculously disappear, but it does mean that God will help us and be with us when we actually talk to him about what we're going through.

WEEKLY DISCUSSION IDEAS:

1. ASK: Is there anything that has you stressed out or worried this week?

While your teen might not be going through a huge crisis, I can guarantee that EVERYONE is worried about something. Perhaps they're worried about school, or perhaps they're worried about a friend? You can encourage your teen to share the specifics with you, but if they don't, there's no need to twist their arm.

2. Encourage your teen to talk to God about the tough stuff they're going through.

Prayer is simply "talking to God". It's not meant to be spooky and God doesn't want us to talk to him in Old English, he simply wants to hear from us just like you want to hear from a friend. Remind your teen of what that verse has to say.

3. Offer to pray with your teen, tell them that you'll pray for them during the week, and follow through!

Take the time to pray with your teen about what has them worried or stressed out. Ask God to give them peace and to help them through whatever situation they're facing.

Introduction

Hey Parents!

This blog is meant for you to know what topics we're touching on at CATALYST and to give you some tips or discussion ideas to help you talk to your teen about what they're learning each week. It's not homework, but it'll give you a sense for what's being taught from week to week and help you open up lines of communication between you and your teen.

This is a resource that you're free to use or ignore, but as a parent myself, I often want to know what my kids are learning so that I can help to discuss those concepts further or find ways to practically apply it. Hopefully, you'll find this to be of some use to you.

Thanks a bunch!

Pastor Ben