DEAR CHILD...

It's that time of year. The season of Camp has officially begun, and I couldn't be more excited. I could be moving up in my career-ladder by interning in New York City or seizing life's pleasures by traveling the other side of the world's hemisphere (which, don't get me wrong, I would love to do...), but there's nothing like coming back to Camp each year and wondering how on earth I became part of such a grace-based ministry, accepted to serve with such unique brothers and sisters, coming in from all walks of life, be it a 30-something-year-old Harvard alum or a 20-something-year-old fashion designer (to-be). Looking at my own record, there's seriously nothing I've done or have that the next person couldn't do or offer, but I'm here, called to contribute that single note in an entire symphonic piece, and for a lack of better words, I feel grateful.

I used to think Camp existed for my sentimentality. As if Camp was a place where I could accelerate my own spiritual growth, a place I could come back to and say "What I've learned here, now I can go apply to my real life somewhere else..." Quite foolish, really, and really immature. I'm slowly learning how blessed I really am, through the relationships I'm building on year after year, and more importantly, through my understanding of Christ's life, death, resurrection, and the implications that has on me being adopted into a family, empty-handed...

"I write to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one."1 John 2:12-14

At Camp orientation, this passage was shared about the different levels of spiritual maturity people may be in, despite how long they've actually been a Christian. It struck me pretty hard, that reading it literally I would probably identify myself as a "young man" given my age and background, but after hearing the description, I don't think I quite fit the part. A father is someone who's spiritually mature, someone who's tested the Word of God in each stage of life and fully knows the Father in His faithfulness. A young man is someone who's currently testing the Word of God through his sins, fears, and failures, and is overcoming "the evil one", learning to be strong and persevere through life's many circumstances. A child, on the other hand, is described as someone who's joyful because his sins have been forgiven, but lacking in maturity because he's not consistently grounded on the Word of God, being easily tossed around the waves of this world as a result.

I'm still a child. There's a difference between picking encouraging verses out to comfort me when I want it, reading chapters and parts whenever I'm convicted to hear God's voice again, versus being consistent and knowing God's Word by heart--so much so that whatever I go through, I can align my struggles in view of God's love, my sins in view of God's mercy, and my strengths in view of God's grace. But I'm blessed with community to teach me the difference. I hope that with this opportunity of yet another summer break, I can learn to do the latter and be the "young man" that Christ showed us all to be.