The third question in our series, 7 Questions Every High School Graduate Needs Answered is, “Will You Trust Me?”
I remember like it was yesterday working on one of the many of our house projects when my oldest daughter–just barely outgrowing her toddler years–came alongside me and wanted to offer her assistance. She had on one of my old hats, an old headlamp wrapped around her forehead, a tape measure, and a smile on her face. Sure, she wanted to be a part of anything her daddy was doing, but in that moment, I realized she wanted me to trust her. In her little way of offering her help, she wanted to be a contributor to the work at hand. I had a decision to make…
Will I trust her?
We all have this decision to make with our children, with our disciples, and with those of the next generation that we’re endeavoring to influence. Of course, it would have been much easier to finish the project I was working on without enlisting my daughter, but I would have missed out on a vital opportunity to trust her with responsibility. She was crying out for it, and so is every young person coming into adulthood.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
- Consider how you grew into adulthood…
- I’ve worked for people who didn’t trust me. I was exposed to a lot of information…fun experiences…but not true learning.
- Accept mistakes as part of the growth process…
- I’ve learned more from mistakes (although I don’t like them) than I have from my successes. It took one loss in the regular season of our senior year of high school football that taught us how to adjust and ultimately win the treasured Texas football state title.
- Consider how God has entrusted you…
- When Jesus left this earth, he entrusted His disciples to what seemed like an impossible task. They had either betrayed, denied, or abandoned Him at His most trying hour. They were in all respects failures. But, God’s view of them was different. He knew what they could become, and He knew that the Holy Spirit would guide them.
- God could have accomplished the building up of His kingdom with one word, but He didn’t. He has raised and is raising up followers of His Son to accomplish this eternal work.
- Therefore, if God can do this, then I (and you) can learn to trust others as they grow into adulthood.
How do we do practically do this?
- Start small and be kind.
- I’m not letting my children run a table saw yet, but I am letting them use a hand saw.
- In so doing, they’re building confidence and overcoming their own fears.
- Give them a safe place to fail.
- When failure or mistakes occur, I try not to beat down through sarcasm, but ask the question, “What did you learn?”
- Accept that trusting means not having it your way.
- This may be one of the biggest road blocks for some people. We just like to control too much. Stop being a control freak and let God do what He does in the lives of the people He’s called you to influence–and have a good attitude when things don’t go your way!
- God has not left you alone, but is with you as you raise up the next generation.
- We all need this reminder!
May the Lord raise up men and women who will learn to trust the next generation! Amen & Amen!
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
Matthew 28:18-20
— January 3, 2020