High School Students, Don’t Waste Your Influence.

Today at church I sat next to Talique, a sixth grade student, and Jordan Sutton, who recently graduated from high school. Talique is a part of First Evangelical Free Church because a college student began building relationships with families in our community whose lives are often characterized by an unhealthy home life, low-income, and a sporadic or absent relationship with the local church. This summer First Free also began feeding the kids who are coming because many of them would go home and have nothing to eat there. So instead, some of our leaders decided to send them home well fed. I definitely think this is a pretty stinking cool ministry and opportunity we have as a church.

Talique was so committed to taking notes
that he needed an extra page.

It was interesting watching Jordan and Talique’s interaction. Talique would do exactly what those next to him were doing. Jordan would sing, and Talique would do his best to sing songs he didn’t know. Jordan listened carefully to the sermon and took notes, Talique would look over every time Jordan wrote something down to copy exactly what Jordan was writing. It was clear to me, Talique drinks Jordan Sutton’s kool-aid. People, there's no sipping involved. In Talique’s mind, Jordan Sutton is to continually be copied and followed.

High school students, two things are clear to me:

1. You have incredible influence over those who are younger than you.

I remember as a freshman in high school how I perceived the juniors and seniors. I thought I was walking among gods. I remember as a 7^th grade student how I perceived those in high school, I thought they were as old as they dang hills and knew everything that could be known. If they spoke I would listen, if they said jump I would be too busy jumping to ask “how high?”

Graham Fulton was only a year older than me in high school, but he invested in me.  He would take me out to McDonalds every other Wednesday to pray and talk about what we were reading in the Bible. The problem was that I really wasn’t really reading my Bible.  But if Graham thought it should be done, I would do it! If Graham thought we should pray in front of other people at McDonalds, it must be done!

2. A question you MUST ask yourself is: Will I waste my influence or will I use it?

High school students, those who are younger than you would likely follow you into a burning building. Will you waste your influence or will you use it? You have such a unique opportunity to make disciples, serve the poor, and share the Gospel. Those who are younger than you will follow you.

Don’t waste your influence.