No good teenagers. (original)

There are some of you out there that ask the question, "Why in the world does this guy like to treat teens like they are actually human? They are nothing but trouble, they drive fast, sleep late, eat everything they see (especially Taco Bell), talk loud, listen to loud music, don't care for anyone but themselves, and in most cases just generally hate life." Ok, I guess that is true, in most cases, but who doesn't like to drive fast at 1 P.M. because they over slept, while listening to Cletus T. Judd (full volume), eating a grilled stuffed taco, and yelling at old ladies who are driving slow in the fast lane. Not that I have ever done that.

I have many reasons why I believe they are human but I am going to share with you just one. Every year my Sunday School class participates in the "Operation Shoebox" sponsored by Samaritan's Purse . (Except for a year ago, what a bunch of slackers.) The shoe box program is a special project where you take a shoe box and fill it with items you think a little kid would like. You can pick a girl or a boy and choose what age range you would like to help. It is a great program! Thousands of these boxes are done each year and given to less fortunate children all over the world.

One year we were collecting money so we could go on a shopping spree to fill our shoe boxes. Remember I teach 10th grade, I had one boy step up and give forty dollars. I know that doesn't seem like a lot but hold on I am not finished. Good night, you guys are impatient. Think about it, a fifteen year old giving forty dollars to help someone he has never met. He didn't make a big deal of it, as a matter of fact he kind of just slipped it into the bucket I just happened to see him do it. I got thinking man that was nice of his mom and dad to give him some money to put into this program.

Later that day I saw his mom and I told her thank you for the money. She looked at me like I was crazy. I get that look all the time so I asked what was wrong, because I normally had done something wrong to receive that type of look. She said, "What money?" I told her about her son giving the forty dollars for the shoe box program. Then she started to cry. Man, I knew I really messed up then. I asked her the same thing I am always asking my wife, "What did I do this time?" She smiled and said I had done nothing wrong, they were tears of joy!

You see she had not given her son any money. Truth be told, this family was just about to go on vacation. The dad of this family told all of the kids that he would, for the trip, double any money each kid had saved. So by giving the forty dollars he actually gave up another forty dollars. Total $80.00 for those of you 10th graders who are having a hard time in math. haha Now does that sound like a teen who likes himself more than he likes others.

God says a lot of things about a situation like this. I just can not think of any right now. Just kidding, gosh you guys are tough. Some that come to mind are love your neighbor, or it is better to give than to receive, or just as a fruit tree is expected to bear fruit, God's people should produce a crop of good deeds. Math 3:9

If you ask this kid how he feels about the whole situation, he will just look at you like your crazy (I told you I get a lot of that) and say, "I don't know what you are talking about." Man these no good teens, what are we going to do with them? Me? I am going to keep loving them, they teach me more and more everyday how to be a good Christian. The other stuff they do in the meantime...just details.

God bless,
Joe

No good teenagers. (original)