Our parents have long been bearers of the Word, cajoling us into getting up for worship, taking us to Sunday school, supporting us in attending youth gatherings, encouraging us to serve others, helping us with confirmation homework, and sharing the love of God by loving us with abandon. As young adults, we now bear the Word to them. We now share the wisdom the Spirit has entrusted to us. We now use our gifts to serve the church, our community and the world.
This subtle but amazing shift reminds us, as young adults, that we now teach others what it means to be followers of Jesus. Others—including our parents—look to us as sources of wisdom and faith, strength and encouragement. We may feel ill-prepared for such a role, but God has promised to pour out the Holy Spirit on us that we may share God’s own dreams with God’s people.
This message is adapted from “Faith reflections: Under pressure, finding and keeping a +1” written by Sarah Stadler-Ammon that first appeared in the August 2010 issue of Café magazine. Today we remember Mark the Evangelist. Please pray for a successful Women of the ELCA executive board meeting, which begins tomorrow.
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