I’m reading a book that speaks of growing young men to be warriors for the Lord. There are two statements that have stirred memories of important times of growth in my own life. One encouraging statement was to parents of young teens. This is what the author wrote: “Send your son to summer camp and, when he is older, let him work at the camp.” The other thought was for those people in a young boy’s life to encourage them with the words “You can do this” when those words are appropriate to move the boy from adult protection to independence and freedom. These are the memories that came to me as I read.
I was standing in the vestibule of our small church in Willow Glen. I was trying to work up the courage to ask my folks if I could go with the High School group to Mt. Hermon and attend the four day pre-Easter camp. We hadn’t been going to this church but a couple of Sundays and I was pretty sure they would say “No”. I remember the excitement when they said, “Yes, you can do this”. They were telling we that I had “what it takes” to be on my own and responsible. I can remember how good I felt. I’ve mentioned in other of my “Words” that it was at this camp that I committed my life to the Lord Jesus.
It was about two years later that Mt. Hermon contacted our Youth Minister, who I’d come to love and respect, about sharing at the big Mt. Hermon Spring Rally to be held at the San Jose Civic Auditorium. They chose Frank because he had been responsible for getting lots of high school kids to go to the pre-Easter camps and to week-long camps in the summer. I was planning to attend the Rally and was excited to hear Frank share about how important he felt it was to get kids to go to these camps. About two weeks before this meeting, Frank stopped me after church and said he needed to talk to me. He told me he wanted me to speak at this meeting. He said, “You can do this. You can do it better that I can because you’ve attended the camps and you can tell how it changed your life”. Because of Frank’s encouragement I did speak at that meeting. And, because I shared my experience of attending camps at Mt. Hermon I was offered a job on the staff that following summer.
I also remember getting that phone call at our home in Saratoga. I told the person speaking from Mt. Hermon to please hold because I needed to ask my folks if I could do it. I walked into the room where they were with hope and fear to ask permission to be away from home for some eight weeks living and working with people my parents had never met. Again, they told me, “You can do this”. That summer job and my relationship with Mt. Hermon camps through the years is largely responsible for my growth as a Christian. And, it came about because my parents and a key adult figure in my life said to me at crucial times-----“You can do this.” It wasn’t just giving their permission to do it. What they were telling me was that “You have what it takes” to do it. They had confidence that I could do the task and do it well.
I pray that all who read this know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve had those key adults tell you “You can do this!” II Timothy 2:2 and Titus 2:3-4 tells that we must teach young men and young women the things that will help them grow up in Christ. As we share God’s amazing grace with those we coach and teach and serve, we need to encourage them that “You can do this, too”. And we must plan for the times and places we are going to do this. Looking back, I’m convinced that Frank deliberately planned to have me speak in his place at the Mt. Hermon Rally. As my mentor---my coach---he stepped away from the opportunity to be “in the public eye and noticed as a successful Youth Minister” and told me “You can do it” so I might grow as a young man and as a fairly new Christian in the skill of sharing my testimony.
Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before everyone that they can see you doing the good works God has called you to do and praise the Father in Heaven.” Think of an athlete or student you can say the words “You can do it” to and encourage them today.
Coach Hitch
