What Are You Doing to Reach the Youth?

I believe that children are our future
Teach them well and let them
Lead the way
show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense
Of pride
To make it easier
Let the children's laughter
Remind us how we used
To be -- ..
The Greatest Love Of All- George Benson

This was inspired by a Block Party event I attended at New Life A.M.E. Zion Church in College Park, GA. It was on my heart to share this with all of you reading this. It was great to see the church using hip-hop to reach the youth. It was great to see that the youth had an outlet to express themselves and a place for them to invite their friends. Where are all the activities for the youth that were in place when we were young?

An idle mind is the playground for the devil --

I have often talked about how it was cats on the block, outside of my family that may have been as instrumental from keeping me from being another young brother dead or in jail. What they said to me was as important as the words of encouragement I received from my family. It was the other cats on the block, who knew I had no business being there, who saved me from being another statistic, Again the fact I'm not dead or in jail is because God blessed these individuals to get at me and let me know where I was headed if I didn't change my ways.

We say the youth is outta control, but it's us who are failing them and not the other way around. We need to reach out to the youth, teach them, show them a better way to express themselves. We need to volunteer our time and mentor our younger brothers and sisters and we must never forget how we felt when we were their age.

I challenge all reading this to do more, to get more involved, make it our business to try to understand what the youth are facing. Instead of critizing them for what they are doing, show them a better way. Expose them to other experiences and cultures. Share your love for Jazz, bowling, hunting, fishing, playing an instrument, painting, landscaping or whatever it is you are into. But whatever you do, get involved.

Like the George Benson's lyrics I quoted in the intro, the children are our future. The enemy attacks our youth before they get a chance to find their way to kill off our future leaders before they have a chance to grow into their roles God created for them. Remember the movie '˜The Terminator,' the machines sent one of their own back in time to stop John Conners before he could become a man and defeat them. Even going after his mother before she even gave birth to him. The enemy who has seen the future of what God has planned for these youngsters when they grow old does the same thing. He can not stop God's plan so he tries to take the youth out before they find their way and grow to fully walk in God;s purpose for their life.

They can not do it by themselves. And if you don't like where you see our youth headed, my questions for you today is what are you doing about it? If you can not answer that question you need to get up, get out and do something. Learn what the youth are into and use those avenues to get their attention and teach them. Our youth are reaching out to us, are you answering the call or just slamming another door in their face!

Now a lot of you reading this may be saying I am or I have raised my children, those you speak of are not my problem. But let me throw this out there at you. That one kid in the neighborhood who you had the chance to, but didn't reach out and try to help, could be the very menace to society in the future that is tying you up on some home invasion tip later. By saying they weren't your problem in the past when they could have been helped, may cause them to be your problem in the future. I am not necessarily trying to scare anyone but that is something to think about.

Another thing to consider, you may be rasing your children, but it's the kids that are close to your children that no one is trying to help that have major influence over your children when you are not around. I don't care how great a parent you are, your children spend many hours out of your site and scope of influence daily. I'm just saying!

If you don't know where to start reach out to your local church, your local schools, the Boy and Girls Scouts or Boys and Girls Clubs of America, your local law enforcement, a lot of them have youth programs. Google youth groups in your area, look in the phone book. There are already many organizations and groups in place but they all NEED volunteers and donations to take things to the next level and be able to do more. Get with local businesses and work with them to start more groups and programs. Set up internships to teach youngsters new skills. Bottom-line you must do something if you want things to get better.