Phil Robertson took his granddaughters fishing on this week’s episode of Duck Dynasty. Their response to fishing reminded me so much of what teenagers do with Jesus.
When grandpa first suggested fishing, the kids were distracted and uninterested. In fact, they were emphatic that they did NOT want to go fishing. After continued dialogue with granddad, though, the girls were convinced and decided to give it a go. As Phil bit the head off a snake (OK – that’s not a part of everyone’s church experience), the girls were grossed out…
…and then, as one of the young ladies reeled in the first kid-catch, they squealed in delight and fear.
We need to remember that sometimes, teenagers are fishing for the first time, The whole Christ-follower thing…it produces excitement, but it’s also a little scary.
1. Be patient – sometimes people need to eased into new experiences.
2. Don’t stop extending friendship – when the time is right, they might just venture out into the wilderness with you.
3. Remember that something that seems normal to you might be very, VERY weird to someone who’s never been fishing before!! (Like biting a snake in half.)
4. Enjoy the thrill (but respect the trepidation) of the first catch!
Who have you invited out to the fishing hole lately?!
Everyone's Called to Youth Ministry 