Was reading my Youth book last night and the Chapter was on Teaching. I came across a saying that said that Youth learn more from what is "Caught, and not what is taught." It said that, even when you don't think anybody is watching, youth are.
In Matthew 23 Jesus talks about saying and not doing. Jesus speaks on how the Pharisees preach but do not practice. I was thinking about how I am acting around the Middle School group and hope that I am always acting in a honorable way. I pray that the group sees the best in me and that I am always acting on what I teach.
When I read this quote about what the youth "catch" I thought to myself about how much they see and hear from the leaders. How can we be better youth leaders? By what we teach them in Sunday school and in Small groups? NO! The youth will listen to what we teach them and might be able to remember it when a circumstance comes around, but what they learn more from is the way Leaders act in a paticular situation. They learn from example. We need to remember that these kids are always watching us to be a good example to them. They learn what is right and wrong from their spiritual guidance counselors.
I love that I have been given by God the gift of love towards the Middle School group, but it is a HUGE responsibility of any youth leader to remember that wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you are being watched.
1 comment:
I like it. You're right, it's who you are when no one that it looking that matters, because someone is always looking. That whole "Do what I say, and not what I do" thing doesn't work with youth.
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