Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24 ESV
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As individuals who have faith in the resurrection we should follow Christ. In the world we live in, there are plenty of other people and things we can follow. The web and social media keep us up-to-date with our favorite sports teams, celebrities, new publications and people. There’s one problem though, especially for our children. We begin to not only follow the information of these people and things but model behaviors, attitudes and thinking. This can lead us away from Christ and instead of being “of this world” we become in the world (1 John 2:15).
Matthew 16:24 reminds and encourages us to live like Jesus in all that we do, say, and think. This is not an easy task because of the sinful world we live in, constantly pulling us to follow anyone besides Christ.
[/column] [column size=”1-2″ last=”1″ style=”2″]The hashtag and bird in our design are purposeful. It’s a way to grab the attention of our neighbors. Did you ever notice when a bird is “tweeting” outside, it’s usually not obnoxious or distracting but rather, pleasant. Similarly we need to remind one another to take a soft pleasant approach to our witnessing and develop great relationships. Gone are the days we need to stand on the corner with a megaphone. Our goal for the school year is not to promote social media, rather to learn and live out what it means to follow Jesus Christ and encourage others to do the same. May the Green Park students and families be led by the Holy Spirit in this effort as we reflect on who we #follow and softly tweet the great news.
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Daniel Meyer, D.C.E.Daniel serves as the Director of Youth Ministry at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church. He enjoys leading chapel and spending time with students during lunch on a monthly basis. His wife Beth is the 1st Grade Teacher at Green Park.