Middle school is kind of the worst, right? I don’t know what your middle school experience was like, but mine left me labeled a goodie-two-shoes and I didn’t understand why being a person who generally tried to be a good person was a bad thing.
In high school, I eventually found a group of people who I had good, clean fun with but the label never left me. I found lots of people like me in my Christian college, but there were still people who kept their distance just because I generally tried to follow Christ.
I don’t know if you’ve ever attended a Christian college or what your experience was, but I made good friends there. My sorority house roomie was like me: choosing a clean lifestyle. But some of my friends were still not quite seeking Christ as central in their lives. I watched their lives and mostly just stored my observations in the back of my mind as I, too, was trying to figure out a lot of things in my life.
I was still a goodie-two-shoes. I learned much later (like within the last couple of years) that some of my challenging relationships were difficult, in part, because my friends were trying to get away from what I was representing to them. To be transparent, I don’t pretend to assume I was perfect, but I did represent that good life they were trying to avoid. At least one has indicated this to be the case.
And then…
Thanks to the wonders of social media, I’ve had the opportunity to see friends from middle school, high school, and college continue to grow up. Some of them have completely turned their lives around and are seeking Christ as central to their lives as they begin families or go through other struggles in adult life.
I. Am. Thrilled.
They don’t know how often I cry tears of joy that they have learned why Jesus was so important to me when we were doing life together. I mean it. I cried when one friend from high school was baptized a few years ago. Another friend recently reached out to me about her desire to raise her daughters in a place that encourages women to follow Christ in deep relationship instead of catty girl environments. I rejoiced when a college friend responded and apologized to me recently as I reached out to her to talk our relationship from back then.
I cry now when I think about these sweet women and I pray they will continue to seek Christ as central to their lives.
Honestly:
It’s really what I want for all of us. I want to do it better. I want them to do it better. I want to help others do it better.
I’m not claiming to be an old lady, here, but Titus 2.3-5 says that older women are to teach younger women to lead holy lives so that the word of God isn’t reviled. I’ve been [imperfectly] seeking Christ in all areas of my life for over 25 years. He’s everything to me. He’s good and truth and holy and firm and loving. He’s gentle but He teaches me hard lessons when I refuse to learn them the easy way. And I learn to keep loving His truth.
If you feel like you wasted high school, college, or young adulthood by not seeking Christ, sister, it’s not too late. He’s waiting for you to decide He’s worth being first in your life.