Let's play chess!
Every year at TeenStreet you have one or two teenagers that demand a lot of time and energy. Those teens that disagree with everything, don't want to be there (at least that is what they say), threaten to go home, etc.
And this year again we had L. with us who was not happy with his small group leader or any of his fellow teens. He claimed that church, God and religion is only for his mother and sister, but not for him. Someone with a real attitude problem!!
After him, having insulted several people, being really angry and ready to go home, I had a chance to spend a lot of time with him ‘to deal' with the problem. (not mentioning that several of our French staff have spent a considerable time with him)
And honestly, at that moment you wonder why you spend all that time with one person who messes up things for many others, while you can't spend time with the 150 other French who are behaving, as they should!
It is in those unpleasant hours, where you even wonder why you are involved in the ministry with these type of teenagers!
The best solution for everyone seemed to be for him to go home straight away.
After several hours of talking with him alone and with his group leader, we decided to give him a chance to change. And believe me, we did not have much faith to see a transformation in L.'s life during TeenStreet!
We integrated him in a different group and encouraged him to make things right with the people that had been hurt by his insults! Changing group seemed to be a possibility for L., but making things right with people was out of the question for him!
Guess what? Two days later, in the midst of a crowd of hundreds of teens, someone pulled my arm saying: Let's play chess!!! It was L.!!! This was a very odd way to be approached by someone, we would like to ignore, because we feel we have wasted already enough time with him!
I came to understand that this proposal of playing a game of chess with me, was his way of making things right!!!!
L. comes from a difficult family background. He has issues with anger and attitude. It was only a few weeks after TeenStreet that we found out that L. had accepted Jesus in His life during TeenStreet.
It reminds me of The Shepherd who leaves behind 99 obedient/ go-with-the-flow sheep, to find that one rebellious, hardheaded sheep or The Doctor who comes to heal the sick and not the healthy!!!
God wants to transform those who are hurt by their past and background. Those who can be such a pain in the neck!!
L. and I decided to play chess again next year at TeenStreet!!
By Gerard Van Veen