Students Are Challenged to be Dangerous for Christ

By Alexandra Gomez, 8th Grade CCA Student

Sunlight rays shine through the canopy trees and touch the sandy floor, while the light breeze shuffles the few leaves that lay around. Scattered around the area are old, brown benches gathering dirt. Spider webs hang from the bottom of them, with the occasional caterpillar inching forward to get a glimpse of what's out there. One stops, perhaps sensing our footsteps—a large group of loud teenagers treading over their space.  

At first take, the only sounds we hear are the crickets chirping loudly while sea gulls from a nearby beach lazily fly overhead. In the places where the canopy breaks with a space, between two trees, dangling a few feet off the ground, I see a gigantic, yellow and black spider hanging a couple of feet above our unsuspecting heads. I stop in mid-stride, and yell, "SPIDER!" Nothing can energize teenagers—especially girls—more than the cry of danger averting us from a critter crawler looming overhead.  

I would have never guessed how symbolic that spider would become to the spiritual lesson we would learn at the Eighth Grade Retreat last Thursday, October 8, at Spanish River Park, in Boca Raton. As our buses rolled onto the park, our eighth grade class got more than just a taste of nature, but a real spiritual retreat that would help refocus ourselves with the Lord, and connect more with one another—as a class and as a group. Teachers, parents, and even Middle School Vice Principal, Mr. Michael Ellis, accompanied us on our little getaway, but it was our Middle School Youth Ministry leader, Josiah Graves and Pastor Topher Harrison, who did much to encourage us with their devotions. We were prompted to think about all the things we had learned about the Bible and our faith since elementary school. We were challenged to share the truth about what we know with those people who don't know anything about Jesus—to be bold about our faith, to be "dangerous" for Christ. 

Some of us felt convicted for not being as bold as we should have. It was a harsh reality for us to stop and consider the fact that it would actually be selfish for us to not tell people about God and His Son, who was sent here to save us from death and give us eternal life. If we actually know, believe, and understand what hell is, and realize that many people will go there if they don't make the right choices in life, then it is our duty to share the Gospel. But for many of us, it was also reassuring to hear that the work of sharing the Gospel will not be complete in middle school or even in high school. This is, after all, not only our school's mission, but also the mission of our lives. Still, are we ready to do the work? And better yet, are we willing? I could see that question reflected on my peers' faces—a reflection I know too well.  

Like most teenagers, I've had my share of excuses; it's easier that way. It's easy to say that I'm fine the way I am, or that I'm not really qualified to teach others. I, like most of my peers, may even convince myself saying, "I'm just not the right person to go out and tell people about Jesus." Yes, I guess it's easier to say or do nothing. But, that's not what God wants us to do. He wants us to be bold—to be dangerous for Christ by telling others about Him and showing them what love really is all about. 

This eighth grade retreat was a lot of fun. We had relay races with hoola hoops and tennis balls. We had as much pizza and free time as our teachers would allow, and although the half hour we enjoyed by the seashore left us wanting for more of the surf and sunrays—that time was nice, too. As I watched the buses roll away from Spanish River Park, I kept wondering what I was going to write about for this article—an assignment that I had been commissioned for and had been willing to accept. And that got me thinking…  

I remembered some of the last words that Jesus left us with over two thousand years ago. His words were dangerous and revolutionary. They had the power to change the world. And so, I thought about it. And then, the realization came. Thinking about it is just not good enough, not anymore. That's for little kids. We're eighth graders now, moving into a new season of our lives. A season that demands action, not just thought. It's a daring thought, I know. To be dangerous for Christ requires courage, commitment, and belief.  The courage to be bold and share the Gospel with the world. The commitment to do it when we don't feel like it. And the belief to do it simply because Jesus commanded us to do so. 

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen." –Matthew 28: 19-20