You Matter Always
By Len Evans Posted on January 14 2010
I have enjoyed the entire “You Matter” series. Some hit closer to home than others, but all of the writers have done a very good job explaining why you matter to these particular people and the invaluable service your ministry provides them. The potential danger in reading this series and realizing the various ways you matter is you can buy into the idea that you matter primarily because of something you do. Preachers love Psalm 78:72 because it says, “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”
Skills are important, we need them and we need to strengthen the ones that we have in order to better minister to the people we serve. While we should use our talents skillfully it’s also vital that we have a heart of integrity. We understand better now, more than ever, that our salvation and our identity is not based on how well we perform or even how David-like our heart is. We are treasured because we belong to God and not because of anything we do for God, not even having an effective, successful, mind-blowing, creating-a-model-that-everyone-will-want-to-copy, youth ministry.
Warning: Obvious statement around the corner. At the heart of each of these encouraging You Matter essays is this, you matter. Not, you matter because... or you matter if... simply, you matter. More explicitly, YOU matter.
You matter because God cares for you. You matter because God can use you even when you don’t think He can. You matter because you labor with your energy but God’s power. You matter because you are adored by the Creator of the Universe.
It’s so easy (and tempting) to think that you matter more when you do things better for God. Even when you know success isn’t always bigger and that bigger does not equal better, it’s tempting to think that way. God is always at work in you and wants to use you to care for students in a way that honors Him.
Resist the urge to grab a ticket to Youth Ministry DreamLand. You know the place, it's where you’d have a bigger budget, the cool building, a team of volunteers and youth staff who “get it”, where fellow church staff ask you about your soul, the land where parents are always happy and every student reads their Bible every day and you get a quarterly raise.
Do the things you can and do them well. Simple things like praying for and with your students. Take them out to lunch even when they don’t seem very chatty. Make those quick, “What’s up?” phone calls. Ask them how their home life is. Find out if they are reading their Bible, or maybe if they know where to find where their Bible is in their house.
Remain faithful, guard your integrity, and focus on loving each student you have the opportunity to be around. Be fully present with them while are you with them - even if it means listening to one more story about how Zac Efron is the coolest singer ever! Trust that God is at work in you while you are with your students even if you don’t always see the response you want. In the times of doubts and despair, you matter.
One of my volunteers recently told me, “God gets my attention when I realize I’m there for the one student, when the others don't show up for my small group. My task-oriented mindset tells me it’s not worth my time because I’m only with one student. But then something comes up as we talk and I know, I’m here for this student.” I’m thrilled that this volunteer understands that she matters always, even when she’s with the one student and not feeling very effective or efficient. Professionally, I’m thrilled because she “gets it”. Personally, I’m thrilled because she’s my daughter's small group leader.
If you are more of a poet, this is for you:
When your senior pastor is upset with you;
You matter always.
When your senior pastor is ecstatic with you;
You matter always.
When you didn’t plan your lesson like you hoped;
You matter always.
When you take a student out for lunch and they don’t talk;
You matter always.
When you go on a retreat and nobody responds like you hoped;
You matter always.
When you forgot to grab the snacks for your small group;
You matter always.
When you are ready to resign;
You matter always.
When your prayer life is amazing;
You matter always.
When you haven’t prayed in two weeks;
You matter always.
When you don’t have the answers;
You matter always.
When you’re with a student in their pain;
You matter always.
When you don’t understand how God can use you;
You matter always.
When you have selfish plans about your ministry;
You matter always.
When you talk to the student that comes once every few months;
You matter always.
When you perceive you are having no effect;
You matter always,
When only one student shows up for an event or small group;
You matter always.
You matter always because you are His, not because of what you do for Him;
You matter always.
Comments
From Salau on February 17, 2012
Right on, Jay. Great thugohts. I’ve been convicted and am committed to leading my group of junior high guys to move on it. Already have a place to go do some relational ministry with an organization that is serving the homeless in our community. Too important not to act on it. Thanks for stopping by! -Andy@ym360
