Luke 15: 17-24 But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe - the best one - and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!'

How many of us have found ourselves at some point in our journey in a foreign land, knee deep in mud, feeding pigs?

In a small group recently someone asked the perennial question about what happens to most of our young people - - we seem to lose them somewhere between High School and graduation from College.

It is our young nature to venture out and try to "wing it" on our own. We sometimes make bad lifestyle decisions and at some point in life yearn to find our way back again. Most of us end up in a "foreign land" at some point in our life.

Where do we turn? How do we find our way back home again? Is there something or someone to show us the way?

How can the church prepare our youth for their time in a foreign land?

The leader of the small group suggested that we always tie on a "life line".

Not one that we would jerk our youth back with. One that they knew was always there for them to find their way back home again - - when they "came to themselves" in the wildernesses of life.

The church must be in the ministry of hooking life lines to every youth that we possibly can.

We do that by being mentors and encouragers of our youth. By including them in every ministry of the church. By letting them take the lead and try out their young wings.

If we are really successful at doing that - - by hooking on a life line - - then when that time in their life comes when they need to find their way back - - all they will have to do is follow the life line back home again.



A Jim Lane Commentary
July 28, 2004