Day 21
the real you must show up
Today’s Scripture
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold
tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take
delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord
enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on
praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager
to practice hospitality.
Romans 12:9-13 (NLT)
Big Idea
Authenticity fuels deep, meaningful relationships with other followers of
Christ.
Today’s Thought
Stop playing games.
No, not board games or video games or sports. Stop playing spiritual games.
It’s time to grow up and get serious about being an r12 Christian.
That message can be heard in Paul’s words here in Romans 12:9-13, where you
see several reminders of the value of authenticity and honesty. Don’t pretend.
Love genuinely. Be ready to help and eager to host — people who are serving
in love.
God doesn’t want Christians to play religious games. God doesn’t want us to
wear “masks” or create an image of who we’d like to be, instead of who we
truly are.
Stop for a moment and think about the last time you walked through the
doors of your church. Did you feel like you could really be yourself? Or did you
feel the pressure to conform? Did you feel safe enough to talk honestly about
your pain and your joy? Or did you find yourself using Christian jargon that
made you sound holy and spiritual?
The church is designed to be a place of honesty and vulnerability — not
spiritual games.
And God calls you to connect with other Christians as you serve and love and
experience life together. You do it for the right reason and in the right way.
When you begin to have those kinds of relationships, people will watch your life and see the reality of following Jesus. People will discover that God is real and sent Jesus to the world, and that’s a more powerful message than any sermon can deliver!
Put away the games. Bring out the real you.
Prayer
God, I don’t want to play spiritual games. I want to experience real, authentic, legit, true spirituality. Give me the boldness to take that first step of honesty and vulnerability with my friends, and help me do my part to build Your church the way You want it to be built. Help me to be the person You created me to be. Amen.
Day 22
you have the chance to meet real needs
Today’s Scripture
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT)
Big Idea
Don’t sit on the sidelines — make a difference in your world today.
Today’s Thought
This has to be one of the coolest verses in the Bible. Sometimes it feels like it’s also one of the most overlooked, doesn’t it?
Our churches are often guilty of telling you — sometimes overtly but usually subtly — that you don’t become a “real” Christian or “real” leader until you’re an adult. We talk about how kids and teenagers are the church of the future — and forget how insulting that can sound to you! You’re the church of today, not just the future!
Some people think you can have less of an impact because you’re young. It just isn’t true. In many ways, you can have more of an impact because you’re young! Way too many adults have been fooled into thinking they can’t make a difference. They’ve become cynical and discouraged. But you’re young enough to believe that with God, all things really are possible! (Pretty sure that’s in the Bible at least once or twice!)
Timothy was a young leader in the early church. We don’t know exactly how young he was, but Paul talks about his “youth” in several places in his two letters to Timothy. Look at what Paul wrote to Timothy in today’s verse, and imagine if you got similar advice from a well-known church leader you respect. This leader basically says: “You know what? You can make a difference through your words, your lifestyle, your demonstration of love, your deep, growing faith, and your commitment to purity.” You can be an example to other teenagers! You can be an example to younger kids! You can even be an example to adults!
With God’s help, you can make a difference as an r12 Christian. You and your friends can make a difference. You and your friends and your small group can make a difference. You and your friends and your small group and your youth group can make a difference. (Catch the drift?) Don’t sit on the sidelines and let others impact their world. Get involved. Serve others. Meet real needs in others people’s lives!
Prayer
God, I want to make a difference for You in this world. Let me see some real needs in the next few days that I can help meet. Use my friends and me for Your glory. Use our efforts to point people to You and Your love for everyone. Amen.
Day 23
love people the way Jesus loved people
Today’s Scripture
Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Mark 6:34 (NLT)
Big Idea
Be like Jesus by filling your heart with compassion for other people — and responding in love.
Today’s Thought
Don’t you just love those Bible verses that compare people to sheep? Doesn’t it make you feel like you should move out from your parents’ house and set up a bedroom in a barn?
OK. Maybe not.
Set aside the sheep imagery for a moment, and look at a couple of profound things this verse tells us about Jesus.
First, during His time here on earth, Jesus felt human emotions — especially love. Jesus was God in human form. He was 100 percent God and 100 percent human. When His friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept. (He also raised Lazarus from the dead — the next time you attend a funeral, imagine how people respond if that happened!)
Having compassion is different from feeling pity on someone. Compassion is rooted in love and grace and mercy. Pity is rooted in pride and arrogance and judgment.
At least one translation of this verse says Jesus “felt sorry” for them, but that really doesn’t capture the right tone of His emotion. The Message version of the Bible says “his heart broke,” and that’s a clearer idea. Jesus had compassion on people in need.
But don’t miss the second message in this verse. Yes, Jesus felt compassion. But He also acted! He did something in response. Your love for others will be displayed through your actions.
God wants you to experience compassionate love toward people who haven’t chosen to follow Jesus yet — but God also wants you to act when you see opportunities to meet real needs in people’s lives. That’s the way Jesus loved people, and it’s the way we as r12 Christians can love people, too!
Prayer
God, give me Your compassion toward the people in my world. Give me your eyes so I can see them the way You see them. Fill me with love and compassion and mercy, and help me share your good news with people who need salvation and a relationship with You. Amen.
Day 24
deepen your connection to other Christians
Today’s Scripture
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
John 13:34-35 (NLT)
Big Idea
Don’t settle for weak, insignificant friendships at church — go for depth and quality.
Today’s Thought
Here’s a fun experiment: Find a whole bunch of non-Christians and ask them what they think about Christians and churches. Depending on their honesty, you might be surprised and heartbroken at their answers.
Far too often, the world looks at Christians and sees people whose words and actions are inconsistent. You can help change this perspective: The more you show love to other Christians, the more non-Christians will discover it’s possible to have an authentic faith in God. That’s part of the experience as an r12 Christian.
The friendship between David and Jonathan offers a great model for the kind of love Jesus talked about in John 13. Jonathan was the son of King Saul and heir to the throne of Israel. David was a shepherd chosen and anointed by God to be, well, the future king of Israel. And somehow these guys were friends!
The Bible records some profound words in 1 Samuel 20:17. “And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.” What a strong bond of friendship! (If you have time, read the whole chapter of 1 Samuel 20 to get a deeper view of this remarkable friendship.)
Authentic relationships demand time, sacrifice, and devotion. Do it not just when it’s convenient or on the way home. Show up. Go. Listen. Cry with them. Be part of the action sometimes. You know when you’re genuinely loved.
That’s how you can develop deep, quality, significant friendships at church. Experience life together. Love each other. Demonstrate your love through action.
The world will see — and take notice.
Prayer
God, I don’t want to settle for weak, insignificant friendships with other Christians. I want to experience authentic community when I spend time with Your other followers. Let our love for each other become visible evidence of Your love for all of humanity. Help me and other Christians love each other in ways that honor You. Amen.
Day 25
four ways to build authentic community
Today’s Scripture
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT)
Big Idea
Do your part in building deep, meaningful relationships with other followers of Christ.
Today’s Thought
Let’s jump right into today’s passage of Scripture. Paul offers us four awesome ideas for building authentic community as r12 Christians:
1. Make a fashion statement for God
OK, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see a line of fashion called JesusWear, but God does care about your “clothing.” Every morning, you choose what clothes to wear. It’s a decision — and yes, for some of you, it’s a long, painstaking, detailed process! But you have the freedom to choose. And God says you have similar freedom in how you clothe your life. You can be a jerk, if you want. But you also can decide to be merciful, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Model some Jesus-style fashion this week.
2. Let the past be the past
Did you see what Paul wrote in verse 13? He said Christians should “make allowance for each other’s faults.” In other words, get ready to discover and experience other people’s faults and shortcomings! Don’t expect others to be perfect, because it just ain’t gonna happen! (Apologies to all you grammar-loving teens.) And remember, you aren’t perfect, either. Get in the habit of offering forgiveness — and receiving it when you mess up!
3. Be peace-seeking people
We can’t always get along with everyone. But we can try, right? We experience peace from God as we pursue His plans for our life, and we experience peace with other people as we love them, pray for them, forgive them, and go through life together with them. Looks for ways to resolve conflict, and search for points of common interest with other Christians.
4. Be thankful
The more thankful we are, the more we appreciate the people around us. Be
thankful for the friends who show up during difficult times in life. Be thankful
for the friends who appreciate your jokes. Be thankful for the parents and
grandparents at your church who value teenagers. Be thankful for all the
skills, abilities, gifts, and interests God has given you. It’s impossible to be too
grateful or thankful.
Prayer
God, I want to experience real, authentic, genuine community with other
people who love You and follow You as r12 Christians. Help me do my part
to build these kinds of relationships. I pray that my church would be a place
known as a place filled with forgiveness, love, compassion, and peace — and
a place where Jesus’ fashion is on display for a world in need. Amen.
