“The true light, which
enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world and the
world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own
and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed
in his name, he gave the right to come children of God. Who were born not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.” John 1:9-13
All I heard was silence.
What is normally a very loud group of four 12-13 year old
boys were sitting in silence.
The consistent chatter of talking over each other was
stilled as they sat and focused on the video being shown.
The video started with a man stumbling through crowded
streets carrying a cross as people cried, scoffed as the soldiers escorted him
outside of the city.
The video played on with no words besides the music
playing, the lips of the characters moved showing conversation as Simon offered
to carry the cross and later as the thief on the cross besides Christ asked Him
to remember him when he came into His kingdom.
As I sat and watched my 4 young men take in this video as
well as my two 17 year old streetleaders my heart prayed for an understand of
the truth of what all of this meant for their lives. I prayed that it would not
just be another time of hearing this story, that it wouldn't just be a story
being told but rather it would be about lives being restored.
As the video ended Stevie their leader stood before them
and simply said, “That is why Jesus was born at Christmas.”
He spoke about how the cross bridged the way between us
sinners and God and finished in a prayer.
When he finished instead of everyone getting up eager and
ready to play a game the boys all remained in their seats.
They were quiet.
Not quite knowing what to say, I acknowledged the sadness
of this video but reminded them that Christ birth can be a celebration because
He came to die but not to remain dead but rather to die in our place and to
raise again to defeat death.
Within seconds their hands began to rise with questions.
One at a time they started asked questions, really good
questions.
We pulled the Bible back out and read together the story
of Christ’s death.
These boys spent the rest of their time at camp asking
questions and reading to find the answers.
My pray for these young guy is that this Christmas they
would understand the very great importance of Christ birth into this world but
that they would understand the importance of it in their own lives.
Please join me in praying for this in the lives of these
four boys as well as for my two streetleaders.
