apologies to those reading this who work in a school cafeteria-- you can only do so much with the food they send to you—it’s not your fault). The enthusiasm that goes along with extracurricular activities such as football, Beta Club, and band provides the only antidote to the boredom which seems to be endless in classes taught by teachers like Ben Stein from Ferris Bueler’s Day Off (in all fairness, texting helps get through those kinds of classes too). I often expressed the idea behind this paradox by saying, “High school is great, as long as you don’t let classes get in the way of the important stuff.”Looking back, I am amazed at some of the things I considered to be “important stuff.” As you get older, your priorities have a tendency to change and you begin doing things that you never thought you would do. For instance, I have recently bought clip-on sunglasses for my prescription lenses and sometimes I will actually use my front shirt pocket to hold things I may need during the day. Just last month, I caught myself saying, “The last time I saw you, you were this big.” I can relate to a piece of flair on Facebook which said, “We’re adults. When did this happen and how do we make it stop?” Now in my early 20’s, I do things that would have utterly embarrassed me as a high school senior. I fear that this is only the beginning.
With a new school year comes new opportunities, and recognizing that those opportunities have
an expiration date can give you a unique perspective on your activities as a high school or middle school student. In the not too distant future your life will change, becoming much different than it is now. Time will go by quickly. Goals will become clear. Purpose will overshadow form. Acknowledging that a transition will eventually take place empowers the young Christian to take full advantage of King Solomon’s advice: “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them…’” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). The admonition is to be mindful of the tasks that can be done better when a person is young, so that once that person grows old he or she will have no regrets. I thank God daily for the passion which exists among the members of our youth ministry for bringing others to Jesus and becoming more like Him ourselves. Allow that passion to enable you to do something amazing with the special time you have before high school graduation. Stay focused on the “important stuff” and live in a way that will produce no regrets.
