Summer School: The Gospel — Thursday
John 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (NIV)
If you know me, you know that dogs are one of my favorite things ever. I spend more time than I’d like to admit watching dog videos on social media, and I love seeing dogs out in public.
I was at Lowe’s the other weekend getting a shovel (like the manly man I am), and when I walked in, this guy had a puppy sitting at his feet. I resisted the urge to stop—after all, I was on a manly mission—so like a real adult man, I simply said, “Oh my gosh, hi babyyyy!!!!” in a high-pitched baby voice and kept walking. Once I made my final shovel selection and headed to the next section, I noticed the guy at the entrance was surprisingly lingering near me with his pupper. This stranger would then say the best thing I’d hear that entire weekend: “Hi, I’m socializing Fredrick… Would you like to give him a treat?” Well kind stranger, yes, I would indeed! Nothing quite melts me like a dog, particularly if they have a human name.
Between my overall passion for doggos and my time spent watching videos of them, I’m pretty susceptible to the allure of any and all dogs. And while dogs are certainly one of the more innocent things to be drawn to, there are many other things in today’s world that capture our attention, take up our time, and affect our thoughts and emotions in more negative ways. This was another challenge I worked through with my high school boys group during Beach Week—particularly in the realm of social media, but in general as well. I challenged them to consider the areas they felt weakest in and the deeper issues in their lives. Then I had them consider what they spent their time doing. And I’ll extend that same challenge to you today.
For example, let’s say we struggle to believe that our identity comes from God and that our God-given identity hinges on the truth of the gospel. If we spend our time on social media watching videos about self-help, self-reliance, manifestation, and other things contrary to our genuine need for a savior, how should we expect to align with the truth of Jesus? Unlike what those videos will tell us, we aren’t good enough, we don’t have all the answers, and we do need a savior—and that’s a problem apart from Jesus. But with Jesus? We have value, worth, and a mission despite those things. Because of Jesus, what was once a problem is now a life-giving identity.
Thursday’s Reflection
Our series Whac-A-Mole from earlier in the year tackled a lot of gospel-denying thoughts circulating in society today and helped reveal their true origins and results. Watch (or rewatch) the series this week in your quiet time, and ask God to remind you of your true value in Jesus!
