Last weekend I was out at Faith Quest, an amazing youth weekend that our church helps sponsor each Labor Day to give our kids a strong kick start to the year.
Somehow I drew the least important, least spiritual job of the whole retreat.
Canteen. That's right. In the midst of spiritual renewal and refocus, I sell mildly addictive stimulants (this Mountain Dew) and sugary snacks.
On Sunday each year, the Faith Quest directors choose a project for the kids to help with. In the past, they've given to buy boats for fishermen in Africa, to do outreach to unchurched teens, to support future Faith Quests.
This year, the money went to Ryan Woods, a young church planter who has had a dramatic and miraculous journey through spinal cancer over the past 4 months.
Just before the collection, one of the teens came by the canteen (closed) and begged to buy a Mountain Dew.
"Sorry," I said. "Come back later. Or better yet, give your money to the collection."
"I will NOT give money at the collection," he said.
Really? Maybe he just needed more encouragement. My "boss lady" pitched in. "You should really give at the collection."
"I'm NOT giving," the young man said.
"Just 75 cents?"
"No. I'm not giving."
We closed the door on him and shrugged our shoulders over the fact that he would be so outspoken about not wanting to sacrifice a Mountain Dew for the sake of a good cause (of course, he didn't know what the cause was yet).
Ryan and Jessica had a chance to tell the story of their journey. A year ago, Ryan was the keynote speaker, telling the kids to stand firm as warriors. This year he sits, weaker and more tired but happy to be alive, and tells the kid that the battle is harder than he ever imagined, how this year he's learned that hope doesn't come only in healing, but in trusting God to know what's best, even when it hurts.
I didn't mean to look, but it warmed my heart to see a certain young man, the same one who had refused to give 75 cents, stuff a handful of bills in the collection bucket.
"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, "Son, go and work today in the vineyard."
"I will not," he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, "I will, sir," but he did not go.
"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
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