It’s hard to stay true to your values in today’s world and even more so for our teenagers. I dare say they are faced with more challenges than I ever was as a teenager. It takes having a mission, uniting the gifts given to us by God, planning and working together so that all will know Christ’s love, serving and witnessing in God’s name so that others will know God’s grace, and letting our united efforts bring God’s word to all who will open their hearts.
By the 16th century, a young man placed his “95 Theses” on the front door of his beloved church, fully knowing that he would be ex-communicated from that church. Martin Luther courageously changed religious history forever, and we must acknowledge that his contributions helped create other religious denominations around the world. The abuses of the church through the sale of indulgences caused this Christian to justify his faith in God and His grace by using a nail and hammer on a door.
We often lose sight of oppressive law systems and the unjust governments they create. We often think we are better or lesser than others because of our station in life or our higher educations. After traveling abroad and returning to America, I have realized there are some people in powerful positions in our own country who believe that America really is the master of the world, instead of God. We cannot contain God’s love of the world by building structures to contain His grace. God’s words, spoken at the creation of the world, remind us that His creation is good.
Every time I hear His good news, I sense His presence in the room. It is my prayer that the young people confirmed this morning realize their dreams and potentials as individuals and that their strength and courage are multiplied when working with others. Our missions may differ, but our purpose is the same. We are one in Christ, and our mission is to bring God’s love and grace to a troubled world. Only when we have the passion and courage of Martin Luther will we change the world for the better. God controls the sky, seas, air, stars, and heaven, but He does not control us. He gives us freedom to discover who we are. In His time, we will learn to listen to each other, and we will change the world, one person at a time.
Anna Hartt
