As Christians, we come to realize that things that are eternal really matter in the eyes of God. The Bible tells us that we can't be afraid of the Gospel and to live it out and be an example. This summer during my summer ministry, I get to tell a missionary story to kids. It is about Amy Carmichael, a missionary in India. We tell her story throughout the week and on one of the days we talk about how things that are eternal matter to God. Things that are about people and the things that we do (actions) matter. Amy helped a woman out even when people were laughing at her. What we do as Christians matters in God's eyes because what other people think about us and what other people are saying in that instant is not as important as the lasting impact on the other person.
Last summer, and again this summer, I have decided to work with kids and sometimes you have to put yourself in some funny and ridiculous situations. The kids laugh and for a second they might think that we are the weirdest leaders in the world, but if they end up coming back and they end up believing that Jesus is their savior, then I don't mind a few minutes of humiliation.
Kids are important to me; I care what happens to them later on in life and if God can help me influence them in some way so that they don't go down a wrong path (even though I won't see it), I don't mind being a little silly during a club or doing something humiliating so that they can see that I am a real human being. When people get up and do something really humiliating, it's because kids and teens will see that they are doing this for them and their enjoyment. If the kids and teens enjoy themselves and have fun learning about the Bible, they might come back and learn more and even believe in Jesus. Things as eternal as what happens after death are super important; we need to realize that and not think about what society thinks.
Our actions -- how we treat people and what we say -- influence what others think of who we are as a person. This is eternal and a lasting impression. Today, teens are so worried about what they wear and how they act that they forget to be themselves, and the young men and women God wants them to be. BE YOURSELF, BE REAL, BE ETERNAL. Your character is what people will remember for years to come, not what you wore to prom, or what you said at graduation (sorry valedictorians). People are going to remember what you did while you were on Earth.
Don't be afraid to be in humiliating situations for a second of your life. In the long run, God will reward you for doing His work and spreading his word. Your character is important and what you do and say is eternal. God only wants you to be real and raw. Why not work on your character and see how God uses you?
