Three days ago I walked in the door coming home from work. I was met by my husband who instructed me to call my friend. Her son, nearly like a son to me after I spent many years babysitting both of her boys at various times, was missing. Apparently he’d gotten into a heated argument with his dad, and then took off in the car. He’s only 15, mind you – legally not allowed to drive without a parent in the car with him.
If Nick is like a son to me, he’s also like a brother to my son. So Josh got in his car and took off to look for Nick. I have to interject at this point – I’m so thankful for the modern technology we enjoy. Cell phones enable communication so much more efficiently in these situations.
Anyway, I digress. Nearly an hour later, Nick surfaced. He finally went to his youth leader’s house, so I called Josh to let him know. Josh was, in fact, already headed in that direction, guided by the belief that Nick would eventually go there.
Before much time had passed, I received another phone call. Nick asked if he could stay at my house for the night, as he had been informed by the youth leader’s wife that he could not stay there – they had to be up and out early the next morning for work and school. I told him yes, so Josh loaded him up and brought him back to our place.
Maybe I don’t have a very good understanding of the role of youth leader, because I just don’t get how he and/or his wife could turn away one of their youth in need of help. I can’t help but wonder how they would have expected him to get home, or anywhere for that matter, if Josh hadn’t unexpectedly shown up. What is wrong with the church?!
I should point out two things. First, Nick does not attend the church that I do. Sadly, members of Nick’s church actually refer to me and other members of my church as legalistic. Mostly because we don’t practice the gift of speaking in tongues.
Second, I do not in any way advocate encouraging young adults to find alternatives to learning how to work through difficult situations. I do, however, recognize a need to let them vent their frustration and anger and give them time to cool off. Clearly if Nick was so upset that he willingly broke the law by taking off in that car, he needed someone to talk to.
Nick’s back home now. He really needs to learn how to love his unsaved dad with the love of Christ. And that’s hard for ADULTS to do. I just wonder who at his church is going to teach, mentor and counsel him through the sometimes painful process.