The Breath of Life

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Have you ever been compared to a balloon? Me neither. Until this morning ...

We have a time for children during our Sunday morning worship. This morning, before church, a young one gave my pastor a balloon.  So, of course he brought it into the sermon. He held it up before the congregation, and asked one of the kids sitting beside him what was inside that balloon. She answered, "Nothing!" "Are you sure?" asked the pastor. "Yep." "There's nothing inside this balloon?" "Nope." "How about air? Is there air inside this balloon?" "Ohhhh, yes!!!" was the resounding reply. "Where did that air come from?" he asked. "It came from God," a little boy answered. After pulling himself together, the pastor laughed as he explained, "Yes, it's God's air, but it came from your mouth. Right?"

Strange how our minds work, but as all this was going on up at the altar, I was thinking about the air in that balloon.  I thought about how it made that balloon look. With no air in the balloon, the balloon is flat as a pancake.  With air in it, it had life. Big, bouncy, fun. Made me think about us.

God created the world, and everything in it. Then He created humanity. He took the dust of the earth and worked with it much the same as a potter works with clay. He molded it, fashioned it, and formed it, and the final result was a man, whom He called Adam.  But Adam, even though he now had a body, did not yet have life. It wasn't until God breathed into him the breath of life, that Adam came alive. Kind of like that balloon. It existed, it was. But not until that young boy blew air into it, did it become a toy to be played with.

Bet you thought that was the end of the story, right? Nope. Take that same balloon and instead of blowing your own air into it, fill it with helium instead. What happens then? Suddenly that balloon has new life! Now that balloon can fly! Let go of the string, and that balloon will rise as far as it can go, if you happen to be inside. And it will fly as far as the eye can see, if you happen to be outside. New life.

That's what the Holy Spirit of God does for us and in us. We are born. But when we become Christians, the Holy Spirit breathes new life into us, and we become born again. No, we did not return to our mother's womb. The new birth I speak of here is spiritual. We ask for, and are given, forgiveness for our wrong doings, and we accept the truth of what Jesus has done for us. We accept His gift and invite Him to live in our hearts and guide our lives. He brings with Him one of the most awesome gifts we will ever receive ... that of the Holy Spirit. New life is breathed into the very core of our being, and every fiber of our being is renewed and rejuvenated.

At the moment of conception, we are kind of like that flat balloon. When we are born, God breathes that breath of life into our lungs, and we are alive ... similar to the balloon blown up by that little child.  But then, the most amazing thing happens when we become Christians. New life, given by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit ... and through that new life, we can fly as far as the eye can see!

Mentoring a Troubled Teen

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I've worked with troubled teens at a Texas Youth Commission boot camp. In part, I was responsible for a team of over 100 volunteers who provided recreational, educational, spiritual and financial services for the boys who were residents there. One thing I found lacking in these youth was a healthy, balanced sense of value and worth. A balanced sense of self esteem, including being accountable for their actions (as we all must be) as well as understanding and believing that their lives had value and worth just because they are living, breathing human beings, is essential.  This is especially true because many of them were entrenched in negative thinking patterns and corrupt life styles.

Many of these youths' eyes would pop open when I would tell them that they are valuable and that their lives have meaning and purpose. No one had ever told them stuff like that before. Now, you're not going to get all of them ... one in particular pointed out to me that he couldn't wait to get to prison because his dad told him how much fun it was! Come on, kid ... you're smarter than that!!!

One program I ran for these youth was a Mentor program. My team of volunteers was the absolute best! And their work on behalf of these boys was nothing short of outstanding, whichever program they were presenting! But the mentor program stood high on the list for effectiveness. Nothing can replace that one-on-one relationship where both mentor and mentee are learning together and from each other. The wisdom and experience that came from the mentor was a guiding light for these young boys. 

Added to this point, I found that many of the volunteers who had "been there, done that," were even more effective in working with them. They understood the life, and were able to express their ways and means of getting out of that lifestyle and putting their feet on a more healthy, productive life pathway. They could really help these kids in a way that they could relate to and grasp hold of. 

I know your lives are busy, and full of stress. But if you can find the time, become a volunteer. I recommend becoming a mentor to a youth who needs your attention, knowledge and experience. Care. Do it today!

Jane Harber, author
"Quit Digging! A Lifeline of Hope for Troubled Teens"