Scripture for today: Matthew 9:2-13
Key verse for today: Matthew 9:5 "Which is easier—to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?"
When I was fourteen years old, I was a summer camp leader at our United Methodist 6th Grade camp for the Oklahoma Conference. It was before Safe Sanctuaries.
I was placed in charge of a cabin of five boys. It was my responsibility to get them to bed on time with the lights out and get them up for breakfast as well as lead them in our small group time with the girls' cabin that we were paired with.
My co-leader was a woman who was much older - she must have been 21 or 22 years old at the time.
Things went pretty well and then at the end of the week, some of the older camp leaders (the ones in their twenties) were talking about sneaking out after the kids went to sleep. They were going to raid the cafeteria for a late-night snack. I thought this sounded like a grand idea and wanted to join them. I waited until I thought my boys were asleep and then snuck out and waited by the creek.
No one showed up and then I saw a man walking my way. It was dark and I approached him.
Then I realized it was the dean.
He asked me what I was doing out of my cabin. "Who is watching your boys?"
I didn't have any kind of good answer and he sent me off to bed. The dean didn't berate me or belittle me but I could tell he wasn't happy either. In fact, I didn't get into any serious type of trouble but I felt like I had not lived up to my responsibilities (especially being the youngest on staff).
I was asked to come back and serve again the next year. I did so happily and was thankful to be given another chance.
Sometimes we let our sin get in the way of our service. It may keep us from being all that we are called to be. It also makes me wonder, "Who am I holding back because of how I view them?"
Breath Prayer for today: Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart.
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