Being the Rock for the Next Generation
Posted by: Jeremy from Mornings | Monday, November 25th, 2024 ( 8:09am)
Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.— Matthew 19:14 Recently I stumbled across a video from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson interacting with a young fan who was on a movie set tour. It just so happens The Rock was on site filming the upcoming “Moana” movie. The young fan, 11-year-old Marco, is so overwhelmed by actually meeting one of his heroes that he begins to cry. Watching this scene unfold within the 60 second social media video, some things come to mind that I thought I would share with you. First, a couple pieces of Scripture. In Matthew 18:4 Jesus says, “So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” I can’t help but be reminded that I need to hold on to childlike curiosity, wonder, humility, and find comfort in expressing love and emotions freely; not just in my relationship with God but in my daily life. Likewise, in Matthew 19:14 Jesus goes on to say, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” This verse feels so applicable to our morning show because kids are such a regular part of it. Which leads me to my other thought. Seeing this exchange between The Rock and Marco reminds me that the role that Amanda and I hold at WCSG is unique. While our encounters with the kids of WCSG can be brief, we are still connecting with them through conversation and music, and it is within these interactions that we can remind them that they are heard, they are safe, and they are loved. The kids of WCSG are special. To every parent, a massive THANK YOU for trusting us with them each morning. We know that’s a special kind of trust; one that Amanda and I do not take for granted. For everyone, parent or not, when you listen each morning and you hear a kid on the air, would you do me a favor and listen to the station through the ears of a child? Listen to the message they shared when they call and think to yourself, “What if that was my friend giving me a shout out on the radio?” or “I go to school with that kid!” Listen to the songs they choose and celebrate in your heart that they enjoyed the music with a foundation of faith. Listen to the lyrics of those songs and consider the message that they are taking with them to school, to their homes, and into their day as they interact with friends. Here are a couple of some of the more recent songs kids have requested: “I don’t want to lose my soul, chasing after things that don’t lead me straight to you” (“The Prodigal” by Josiah Queen) “I’m ‘bout to have a good day. In every single way, the God who made the universe knows me by my name, so it’s a good day” (“Good Day” by Forrest Fran) “The truth is that I am my Father’s child, I make Him proud, and I make Him smile. I was made in the image of a perfect King. He looks at me and wouldn’t change a thing” (“The Truth” by Megan Woods) “I’ll praise when I feel it, and I’ll praise when I don’t. I’ll praise ‘cause I know you’re still in control” (“Praise” by Elevation Worship) “God, I’m still counting my blessings, for all that You’ve done in my life. The more that I look in the details, the more of Your goodness I find” (“Counting My Blessings” by Seph Schlueter) Amanda and I recently celebrated hosting the morning show together on WCSG for ten years, which translates into ten years of songs and ten years of kids requesting songs. Here is something that’ll blow your mind: the 11-year-old kids that called in 2014 are now 21-year-old adults. Let that sink in. While you do, consider this: if those 11-year-old kids spent time with WCSG over the entire ten years, think about all the powerful songs and messages they’ve consumed and where those young adults could be if they hadn’t had WCSG in their lives. If you are someone who supports WCSG, I share this bit of encouragement: this special piece of ministry is happening because of you. Thank you, and God bless you. Want to read more posts like this? Subscribe to the Good News blog to receive a weekly dose of encouragement from our team.
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In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
MATTHEW 3:1-2 | NLTGrand Rapids / Lakeshore
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