The importance of a smile |
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Written by JEFF MIELCAREK, Director of CYO Athletics
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Saturday, 26 December 2009 00:00 |
While attending a number of CYO games throughout the year it is always great to see people smiling. In my opinion, a smiling face, like everything else in life, is a gift from God. Just think about how good you feel when you smile or when someone smiles at you. It’s a wonderful feeling and takes very little effort.
During basketball season a smile might occur when a team wins a game, or a player had family in the stands watching him or her play, and that created a smile. My all-time favorite is when a player scores a basket for the very first time. That smile after a first basket is priceless and the memory is forever. You’ll know when this player has scored for the first time because of their smile and also the smiles on the faces of teammates, coaches and spectators.
 While so many CYO Ministers of Youth (coaches) “get it,” some still are a “work in progress.” Everyone likes to win, but a smile on the face of a youth is better then any game being won. As ministers of youth we need to find as many ways as possible to get kids to smile and feel good about what they are doing in life. Too often kids have unnecessary pressure placed on them to do well and smiles become more and more rare as they attempt to please the adults in their life rather then to simply enjoy the moment and the gifts with which God has blessed them.
As ministers of youth we are blessed with a great classroom. When a basketball player arrives in the gym for practice or a game, they choose to be there. This is unlike the math, science or language classrooms where kids are there because they must. When they come into our classroom it is our responsibility to teach them about the game of basketball (or whatever sport we are coaching), but also to teach them about other aspects of life. We need to make sure that they are smiling as much as possible and, just as importantly, that we are smiling at them. We also should be teaching the players on our team the importance of the smile and encouraging them to use it as often as possible.
When we say “yes” to being a minister of youth we have accepted an important role in the church. It’s a role that no one should ever take lightly or for granted. How we handle our ministry can making a lasting imprint on a youth’s life. We certainly want to make a positive imprint on their lives and not a negative one. Many times we will never know for sure how successful we have been in the life of youth, but one day we will find out.
We will find out when a youth comes back to us years later and recalls good memories of time spent together and shares the story with a smile on their face. We also hope to find out when the two biggest smiles come to light. That is when our time on earth is complete and we meet Jesus. I have no idea what these smiles will be like, but I’m guessing that it will be a lot like a parent, wife, husband or child who greets their loved one as they enter the airport wearing their military uniform. These are some of the biggest smiles you ever see and you hear comments like “it is so good to see you.” That’s one that I relate to seeing Jesus and hoping and praying that He will be smiling at me as much as I am at Him. It will be at this time that we will know that our journey through life was pleasing to Him.
When we minister to youth properly and they smile often, then more than likely we are ministering to them in the manner that Jesus would approve.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 26 May 2010 13:51 |
