Detached Kids

After church yesterday, I was talking to some friends when suddenly my vision was blurred by a set of hands over my glasses, accompanied by a young voice saying, "Guess who!".

The hands were obviously female, the angle meant she was short, the voice definitely that of a young teenager.  So, it could only be one girl I could think of.  And it was.  Hugs and kisses, she was so excited to see me again.  Well, between my time on the west side of the mountains and her active sports schedule, I have not seen much of her this year.

I thought about her yesterday, as well as, about a dozen other youth whom take time out of their lives to spend with me.  In each case, the role of the parent has been damaged in some way.  Drugs and alcohol playing a large part in many of these parents lives (yes most of them do attend church).  So, could a flawed parental image cause youth to seek "safer" adult attention?  What about situations were the family is shattered through divorce and the activities which preceded and ante-ceded their parents divorces?  A few kids with that situation in their lives as well.  And two of them, well, they live with parents whom are not even their parents!  Yeah, folks break up, get married again, kid is usually mother, then mother dies, step father remarries and now no one is actually related with the kid.  That situation I can almost of understand better.

Once I figured out that I was actually a pseudo-adoptive parent to these kids, I could better figure out why they hang around this old guy.  If so, then I guess I should stay in better touch with them and show more concern over their day to day lives.  Might even be interesting to report back next week what happens.....!  Might even be something God had planned along but then I am a little dense at times.

Now I have to admit that thrice, I can easily think of in my past, there were youth whom took an inordinate interest in my life.  The first two I rebuffed because I was unsure as to what was going on.  One was female and being allergic to such, deflected her to a female in the church, but it appeared in retrospect that she was in need of a father figure in her life and without such - things did not work out well for her across time.  In my spirit still grieves for that girl, especially having seen what became of her.  The other was an elementary student and honestly, I had no clue what to do about him other than to run.  Again in retrospect, I should have shouldered some of the responsibility in providing him with "guy" time but I was clueless.   (You know, "deer in the lights" situation!)

The third though was what would be a junior higher in this country and I now understood what was driving him subconsciously, especially in light of the prior two failed opportunities.  For the next six years, he spent just as much time with me as he did at home.  He did grow into a fine young Christian man and is still in touch with me to this day.  Yes, I do give God all the glory for that one!  Would that my son could do so well in life!


Now I am wondering about you.  Have you been "adopted" in some manner by any of the youth in your church, neighborhood, what ever?  If so, how have you addressed this or balanced the need for strengthening them vs the role their parents should play in their lives?