The Big Picture

The Big Picture

I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness.

Romans 15:14

Working with teens is challenging at times—like when my then-teenage husband, Kyle, wiped his cheese-covered fingers continually on his young youth pastor’s couch, or when, instead of joining in with the youth group on a Wednesday night, he and another friend decided to hide out in the janitor’s closet at church and listen to a basketball game on the radio. When Todd, the youth pastor, went to put the boys in their place (rightfully so), Kyle’s friend’s mother stopped him and very calmly told Todd that he’d have to lighten up and have a little fun if he ever wanted to engage the boys. Todd took her advice to heart and did just that, creating a lasting relationship with the boys that had a profound effect on their lives and faith.

Recently we hosted a reunion of my husband’s youth group along with all the members’ families. Their youth pastors came too, and it was a wonderful time of reminiscing and catching up on everyone’s lives. My husband has told me what a huge impact Todd and his wife, Deb, have had on his life, and as I visited with them, it was easy to understand why. Kindness and caring and the ability to really listen oozed out of every conversation with them. But as they’ll quickly tell you, these virtues developed over time and through lots of experiences that taught them how to extend God’s love toward others, including those early experiences with my husband!

Remembering the big picture can be challenging at times—whether it’s parenting our own kids, mentoring others, or just being in relationships with people. Everybody makes mistakes, and we all need guidance in life and understanding from others. Paul wrote many letters to the early church, often tempering his concerns with encouragement, confidently reminding his readers that they were full of goodness. Even though he faced challenges with other believers, he never forgot the bigger picture of drawing people closer to God through his teaching.

—Kendra

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Think about a particularly challenging relationship you are currently in. Take a step back and look at the big picture, and instead of criticizing, choose to commend this person.