Editor’s Note: Share these tips with your students as they head back to school (and into their mission field).
1. You are not alone.
As you walk into the doors of your school remember the words of God to you, “‘Never will I leave you never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5,6.
Don’t be afraid of being beat up by bullies or criticized by cliques. Why? The King of kings is with you! The one who gives the bullies breath is holding your hand as you walk the hallways of your school. So enter your school with a holy, humble confidence that God goes with you (because he does!)
2. “Do your best. Forget the rest.”
Tony Horton, the physical fitness guru who developed P90X, uses this mantra over and over in his workout routines to encourage his exhausted subjects to just do their best. He tells them to take a break from the exercises if they need to but to make sure they are pushing to do their very best without losing form. The results are amazing! You’ve probably seen the before and after pictures of those who’ve completed P90X on their always-on-some-station television informercials. How did they get those results? They did their best!
I use this same reminder with my kids (who struggle a little in math.) I constantly remind them to do their very best and to concentrate until the light turns on. To be honest, I can tolerate a lot of things as a dad but I can’t tolerate slacking or a lack of effort. If the effort is there then almost any skill or subject can be learned and even mastered through sustained effort.
You are the Lord’s representative at your school. So do your best and forget the rest. Remember that the ultimate “teacher” you’ll give an account to (as will I) is Jesus Christ so, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23,24
Why do your best to get the best grades possible? Because it is the Lord Christ you are serving!
3. You have a mission to accomplish.
You are not just at school to go to school. As a Christian you are at school to go on a mission trip. Every teen-filled table in the school cafeteria is a mission field that needs reached with the good news of Jesus.
Jesus said, “Go and make disicples of all nations…” in Matthew 28:19. This cause, THE Cause, applies to you as you seek to reach your friends and aquaintences with the good news of Jesus. It applies as you seek to make more friends with the hope of introducing them to your best friend, Jesus Christ.
If you don’t know how to share your faith go here and watch the “Live THE Cause” videos and make sure you get to your closest Dare 2 Share conference (coming to a city near you!)
So, as you head back to school, go with these thoughts in mind. Begin to pray with and brainstorm with your Christian friends so that together you can take your school for Jesus Christ.
Do your best. Forget the rest!
