The Pile
As Youth Pastors we are always looking for way to "show" students something tangible in the natural that can reflect something that goes on in the spiritual. For instance, if you have ever watched a cut on your hand heal over time, you can then visualize how over time, God can heal a wounded heart.
So, we recently had this great idea! Mike, my amazing husband, has three horses. This gives us access to manure ta-boot. We decided to scoop up this manure and form it into two piles. I then went to the dollar store and purchased toy sport cars, plastic diamonds, coins and paper money, anything that would represent real value and luxury in the real un-toy form. I then buried those in each of the piles. We divided the youth into two teams, which this night was all guys on both teams, and gave them the challenge to dig through the piles and see which team could come up with the most items of "value".
Team one was all about it. (I suppose I should tell you our son was on this team and manure is way past phasing him) They tore through it like mad men digging, sorting, sifting away. Team two however stood for a good part of five minutes staring at the pile, asking "is this really poop", "should we really be touching it", "oh man! do you realize how bad this smells" all while one of their teammates was poking at it with a stick. Then they looked over and realized that team one was making some serious progress, and just in case the prize was something good, they figured they better toughen up and give it a shot. In the end each team found all their objects and they were rewarded and disinfected greatly.
The object lesson: What in life is worth digging through manure to attain?
Manure represents anything that would make you cast aside your personal morals, beliefs, truths, and integrity. Looking at the real pile of manure, a whole team of students stood and looked and poked, not wanting to do something their heads were telling them not to do. There was nothing in them that said digging through a pile of manure would be rewarding. Everything in them told them not to touch it, and yet, in the end they were flinging poo and covered to their elbows in the very filth they decided at first glance they were not going to touch. They gave in to the manure.
That happens more than we want to admit. It's having wants that jeopardize the personal truths and boundaries we set for ourselves. For teens it's sacrificing who they are and what they believe, to fit in with the "right" crowd, or to get a certain boy/girlfriend. It's getting an A on a test, but digging through the manure of cheating to get it. For adults it's going into the huge manure pile called debt, in order to keep up with the Jones next door. Its having such a drive to get ahead in the work place, that you have lost all of your integrity to get there.
Manure is a bad place to try and find value. After the lesson, all of the items we pulled out of the piles were then tossed into the trash. There was nothing in there worth cleaning up and saving. The manure had ruined the joy. Life is the same way. How much do you truly enjoy your time on the water in a boat that only makes you remember you are late on your payments because you can't afford it? How beautiful is that corner office when you lost everyone that believed in you, because you lied and cheated your way to the top? How great is it having the popular boyfriend if he is threatening your purity?
The cool thing is that we can change it. The students who found themselves covered in the poo after the lesson, also found that it easily washes off. We don't need to live a life covered in manure! Manure doesn't belong on our person, and once we wash it off on the ground, beautiful things happen. Where ever that manure lands your grass becomes greener, and your flowers become brighter. Get your hands and arms out of the manure and stop reaching for things that will never bring you joy. Its only when we get the stink off, will our joy return. We can sell the things draining our wallets, we can change our group of friends, we can right the wrongs we have made in our relationships.....WE CAN WASH IT OFF. Jesus made a way for us to make a fresh start, one that doesn't stink. You are not defined by the amount of manure you are standing in right now. You are defined by the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. He makes all things new. Today is a new day, to make a change, to live a manure free life. His grace is enough.
And the next time you are finding yourself wanting, ask yourself if that thing is buried in manure. Ask yourself what it would take to achieve it. And if it involves getting up to the elbows in manure to get a hold of it, leave it in the pile.
So, we recently had this great idea! Mike, my amazing husband, has three horses. This gives us access to manure ta-boot. We decided to scoop up this manure and form it into two piles. I then went to the dollar store and purchased toy sport cars, plastic diamonds, coins and paper money, anything that would represent real value and luxury in the real un-toy form. I then buried those in each of the piles. We divided the youth into two teams, which this night was all guys on both teams, and gave them the challenge to dig through the piles and see which team could come up with the most items of "value".
Team one was all about it. (I suppose I should tell you our son was on this team and manure is way past phasing him) They tore through it like mad men digging, sorting, sifting away. Team two however stood for a good part of five minutes staring at the pile, asking "is this really poop", "should we really be touching it", "oh man! do you realize how bad this smells" all while one of their teammates was poking at it with a stick. Then they looked over and realized that team one was making some serious progress, and just in case the prize was something good, they figured they better toughen up and give it a shot. In the end each team found all their objects and they were rewarded and disinfected greatly.
The object lesson: What in life is worth digging through manure to attain?
Manure represents anything that would make you cast aside your personal morals, beliefs, truths, and integrity. Looking at the real pile of manure, a whole team of students stood and looked and poked, not wanting to do something their heads were telling them not to do. There was nothing in them that said digging through a pile of manure would be rewarding. Everything in them told them not to touch it, and yet, in the end they were flinging poo and covered to their elbows in the very filth they decided at first glance they were not going to touch. They gave in to the manure.
That happens more than we want to admit. It's having wants that jeopardize the personal truths and boundaries we set for ourselves. For teens it's sacrificing who they are and what they believe, to fit in with the "right" crowd, or to get a certain boy/girlfriend. It's getting an A on a test, but digging through the manure of cheating to get it. For adults it's going into the huge manure pile called debt, in order to keep up with the Jones next door. Its having such a drive to get ahead in the work place, that you have lost all of your integrity to get there.
Manure is a bad place to try and find value. After the lesson, all of the items we pulled out of the piles were then tossed into the trash. There was nothing in there worth cleaning up and saving. The manure had ruined the joy. Life is the same way. How much do you truly enjoy your time on the water in a boat that only makes you remember you are late on your payments because you can't afford it? How beautiful is that corner office when you lost everyone that believed in you, because you lied and cheated your way to the top? How great is it having the popular boyfriend if he is threatening your purity?
The cool thing is that we can change it. The students who found themselves covered in the poo after the lesson, also found that it easily washes off. We don't need to live a life covered in manure! Manure doesn't belong on our person, and once we wash it off on the ground, beautiful things happen. Where ever that manure lands your grass becomes greener, and your flowers become brighter. Get your hands and arms out of the manure and stop reaching for things that will never bring you joy. Its only when we get the stink off, will our joy return. We can sell the things draining our wallets, we can change our group of friends, we can right the wrongs we have made in our relationships.....WE CAN WASH IT OFF. Jesus made a way for us to make a fresh start, one that doesn't stink. You are not defined by the amount of manure you are standing in right now. You are defined by the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. He makes all things new. Today is a new day, to make a change, to live a manure free life. His grace is enough.
And the next time you are finding yourself wanting, ask yourself if that thing is buried in manure. Ask yourself what it would take to achieve it. And if it involves getting up to the elbows in manure to get a hold of it, leave it in the pile.
This is so great Sherry! I'm exited to see this!! Miss you =)
ReplyDelete