Down by the river…

I think we all remember the classic SNL clips of our favorite Chris Farley.

Now however much this is hillarious, I think their is a problem that we over look. Especially as youth workers, we can sometimes get into this rythym of yelling motivation to students. Just like Farley in this picture, we want to have kids sitting on the couch so we can yell motivation or lessons in their faces.

Here is a question: How many times do we get metaphorically “yelled at” ? Especially when it comes to motivation or lessons.

I have had the amazing ability over the past few weeks to allow others to preach at our Tuesday night services. It has been an incredible thing watching student after student come to worship, listen and have a good time! But something that has struck me is that I wonder how many of them hear what we want them to hear?

More and more I am beginning to be convinced whole heartedly that:

It is not how loud or how blunt you say something to a student, it needs to be a subtle whisper of encouragement. It doesn’t take much more than a quiet voice to tell a student that Jesus loves them, just as they are, to break through the wall students build up in front of them.

I was able to preach last night at our Student Life Worship service and unfortunately, I have to admit that I felt a little like Farley in this picture. I got a little loud, I felt like I yelled. I got emotional. But what is interesting is that the whispers that some got from God, trying to get their attention, spoke louder in their hearts and lives than anything I could have said.

I do not however think that this is just for students. We are searching people. We search for faith, for belonging, for love, for friends, for family and much more. But because we search, we seem to lose sight of the motivation that comes from the quietest of places:

- In the mountains

-On the golf course

-In scripture

-In conversation

-In music

There are so many places that we miss the power of being quiet.

Would you agree?

Motivation is a huge tool that needs to be harnessed and abused. There is no one in life that can get enough motivation. Motivation drives us to do better. Drives us to want to succeed. Drives us to meet expectations. Motivation can single handedly change lives but also destroy lives.

How do you motivate? Like Farley, by screaming in faces? Or do you motivate like God, with a quiet voice?

Is there a better way?