This post is written to link with Five Minute Friday: write for five minutes on a one-word prompt. The prompt today is “reward.”
I’ve been involved in youth ministry long enough to know that it is often a thankless task.
There are the times you pour hours into planning and preparing an event only to find that no-one shows up. There are the young people who remain sullen and disengaged no matter how much effort you make, and those who seem to come only to cause trouble. Then there are the people who seem to look down on youth ministry, as if it’s somehow inferior to working with adults. It’s easy to feel unappreciated.
This week I got to help host a thank you meal for volunteers involved in running Christian groups in schools. It was amazing to do something to honour all their commitment, and it was a wonderful evening – good food, encouraging conversations, the chance to pray together and share stories. We had made an effort with the decorations and provided little gifts for each of them. We had done everything possible to make them feel special, and I think we succeeded, but I was also struck by the fact that, while the evening was much-appreciated and I’m so glad we did it, none of them needed the reward.
None of them were doing it to receive others’ praise or to get anything out of it for themselves. They were doing it because they love Jesus and they care for young people, and they want to share God’s love and truth with them.
And as stories were shared from some of the groups, it was clear what the real reward was. It was in being used by God to make a difference in the young people’s lives. It was the young people who had taken steps of faith whether that was investigating the Bible for the first time, committing themselves to follow Jesus, or stepping out boldly to serve him.
As Paul puts it, “After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!” (1 Thessalonians 2:19 NLT)
There is no reward we could give them that would come close to the joy of seeing God work through them to impact others.
We also acknowledged that it’s not always easy. We don’t always see the fruit of our work. Sometimes it feels like all the time and effort you’re giving are achieving nothing.
We left them with these encouragements:
“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9 NLT)
“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:11 NLT)
We may go through long periods where we struggle to see it, but the reward will come, and when it does it will make it all worthwhile.
So true Lesley. We can get so weary of ‘well doing’, we need encouragement, but how wonderful for each to know the joy of service!
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Thanks, Fiona! Yes, encouragement definitely helps us keep going when it’s hard.
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Beautiful. Amen. So wonderful to hear this. And ministry to young people is SO important. May God continue to encourage you as you pour out your heart, His heart, for these kids.
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Thanks for your encouragement, Anna!
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“And as stories were shared from some of the groups, it was clear what the real reward was. It was in being used by God to make a difference in the young people’s lives.” Amen! I’m always thankful when I get a glimpse that the work I do is making a difference in someone’s life, but we don’t always get to see it. As you mentioned, we don’t do this work for immediate gratification but because God has invited us to participate. FMF16
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It’s so true that we don’t always get to see it, but those times when we do get a little glimpse of what God is doing are wonderful!
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Great reminder – “be not weary in well doing”….whether that is youth ministry or simply trying to encourage others along the way! So nice to be involved with thanking the volunteers!
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Thanks, Jennifer! Yes, we all need encouragement to keep us going sometimes.
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Thank You! It can be so weary to do youth ministry. But none of us do it for the money. The reward is the youth and how they grow in their faith etc.
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Thanks for all the work you do with young people, Tara! It is so important and I pray that you are encouraged by seeing God at work.
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I think my first comment got swallowed by the ether…
For American readers, ‘take the piss’ means, roughly, ‘ to make fun of’. And ‘keep your pecker up means ‘keep your courage up’.
It’s only dogs who witness this,
the hell that’s become my life,
and even they take the piss,
and laugh at cancer’s strife.
I laugh with them, for there’s joy
in disparaging incontinence;
humour’s not an empty ploy
in making of despair, some sense
We don’t get that which we choose;
even Jesus would pass the cup,
but it’s how we face it, win or lose;
Boy, keep your pecker up!
And the reward is, perhaps
Satan cowed by our laughs.
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I’m sorry your first comment got lost, Andrew! I even checked the spam folder and it wasn’t there but thanks for posting again. I think your attitude is amazing and I’m sure your choice to be positive and even laugh in the midst of your suffering I a big part of what has kept you going. I know it inspires and encourages others.
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I always felt this same way about my time in the classroom. My joy and reward were on the faces of my children! It is often a thankless job but knowing that God was using me in the lives of my students helped not to grow weary. I admire anyone who offers their time to work with young people! It is definitely God’s work and great is their reward!
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It is so rewarding to see God at work and I think in any work with children we can have a huge influence on their lives so it’s important to make that a positive one!
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This reminded me of how grateful I am for the youth leaders and helpers that minister to my son and the other young people in his youth group. They do a wonderful job and my son comes home each time glowing and excited for God and life. Youth ministers you are appreciated. Keep serving. And thank you. And thank you Lesley for hosting an evening where they were honored and were able to spur each other on to keep serning our next generation.
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Thanks, Theresa! I’m glad your son has good youth leaders that encourage him in his faith!
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As a former teacher, I loved this post. My favorite line was this: “There is no reward we could give them that would come close to the joy of seeing God work through them to impact others.” So true!
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Thanks, Laurie! I’m sure you’ve had a great impact on many of your students!
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Nicely written. we might not need the dinner or the small reward, but it’s a nice thank you anyways right? It makes a heart smile, which makes everything else even better.
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Yes, it’s always encouraging to feel appreciated!
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