Just Because
Well, summer break is almost over.
We’ve had a lot of great moments as a youth group this summer. Camp was great, Horizons at FHU was great (the best year we’ve ever been to, according to several who came), our Youth and Family Day was a success, and almost all of the smaller events in between have gone off without a hitch. However, there is one moment that has been my favorite of the summer, and it certainly wasn’t on my planned schedule.
A couple of weeks ago, the kids in my youth group gave me a gift that I wasn’t expecting. It was genuinely a surprise to me, which is especially impressive since every member of the group was in on it. The gift itself would have been my personal favorite thing that has happened this summer even if it were given for a specific purpose. However, what made it really stellar was the fact that there was no occasion; as one of the kids said when I asked about it, they made it and gave it to me “just because.”
I was watching a clip of a retired divorce lawyer recently talking about why relationships fail. He recounted an example in which his client described to him the reasons why she was seeking a divorce from her husband. Among the signs she listed that the relationship was over was the fact that he had stopped refilling the fridge with her favorite snacks, which he used to do “just because.” Going out of his way to do something kind for her, often without being asked, had been a sign of the love he had for her and the priority he placed on their relationship. When that ended, in her mind, the relationship ended.
This divorce wasn’t pursued for scriptural reasons, but this woman’s story is certainly telling, especially when paired with my experience this summer. One of the best signs that a relationship is healthy is the presence of acts of love and kindness “just because.” One of the best signs that a relationship is unhealthy is the fact that the “just because” love and kindness has dried up.
How is your relationship with your Christian family? When was the last time you went out of your way to do something for one of your brothers or sisters in the faith, “just because?” When was the last time something was done for you, “just because?” If the answer isn’t what you wish it was, perhaps it is time for someone to make the first step to change that – and perhaps that person should be you.
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” ~ Romans 12:10
AUTHOR: Luke Tatum
