It's Ok to Stand Out

While I was still teaching in South Carolina, I had the privilege of working in a middle school for several years. Now, I wouldn’t be the first to tell you that the middle school years are some of the hardest on a student and the teacher. It’s the first time many of them get thrown into a mix of all of the other students from around the county. It’s a time when you get a little independence. It’s a time when hormones start their inevitable journey of pushing one toward adulthood. Middle school can be a time of trial and tribulation as students find themselves struggling to be included in or be a part of a group. And surely, based on many choices that one makes, you may find yourself with the athletes or their fan club. You may find yourself with the band kids. Or, you may find yourself hanging with the bad boys or the mean girls. Now I wish I could say it was easy as all this but, in actuality there will be dozens of factions, and break-off groups that one can fall into. Middle school is hard.

Even as a teacher, I found myself a bit intimidated at times. But I was in the right place at the right time. I was asked to start a new middle school chapter of the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). Talk about coming out of left field. I was floored, flabbergasted, dumbfounded. Why me? Needless to say, I did it, with much prayer and trepidation. In order to meet, it had to be before school officially started or after. Since many of the students rode the bus, this was a challenge. We chose to meet before school and it was immediately clear this was exactly what we needed. I can recall almost every meeting. But the part that stood out were the conversations afterwards. FCA gave a group of kids who didn’t really fit together anywhere else, a place to fit together. And what was even more amazing were the athletes, cheerleaders, and band kids were all there: Common ground.

A few weeks in, I walked into the cafeteria, which in any middle school or high school, could be a breeding ground for trouble. But, on this day, right smack in the middle, was a table full of boys all holding hands and saying grace. It so stood out to what was going on around them. Athletes from several sports as well as other popular students and even a few I didn’t recognize, were praying! I grabbed a picture. Talk about standing out. I was grinning from ear to ear with a tear or two thrown in. It’s ok to stand out in the right way, especially when you are standing for Jesus. “Where two or more are gathered, there He is also.” (Matthew 18:20) Oh yes! Jesus was definitely in the room. We couldn’t see Him but He was definitely standing out! Please share this story with your kids or grandkids. Let them know that it is ok to be different, in the right way, and stand out for God. He will take care of the rest.