Influence..
Posted by:
Tricia Goyer on
November 30, 2007 at
4:46PM EST
On Tuesday I spent a fun and TOTALLY exhausting day speaking to six
public high school classrooms about writing. The teacher called and
invited me a couple of weeks ago after he noticed my niece, Heather,
reading one of my books.
"What you reading?" the teacher had asked.
"One of my aunt's books."
"Really?"
"Yeah, she's an author."
"Does she live around here?"
"Yeah, in town."
"Do you think she'd be willing to come in a speak to our classes?"
"Sure, I'll ask."
So,
there I was talking to teens all day long about how I write, why I
write, when I write ... and their favorite question ... answering about
how much money I make. (They were highly disappointed to find out I
wasn't a millionaire, living in a big house, with fancy cars!)
This
was just another object lesson I've had lately about a topic I've been
thinking about ... influence. About the people who take time to listen
to my thoughts--through books, through blogs, through speaking and even
in my everyday life. I have a voice, opinions and beliefs. I have
something to say and--by gosh--there are people who really want to
listen.
Before arriving in the high school classes the teacher
had warned me. Many of the teens had respect issues. Many of them
talked out of turn. Many had a lot of problems in their lives. Be
prepared. I have to say that though standing in front of teens for all
that time was tiring, they were great. They listened, they asked
appropriate questions, and they truly seemed interested in what I had
to say. Maybe it was because they knew I volunteered to take time out
of my day to be there and share with them?
This morning a verse
came to mind during my morning devotions, "Whatever you have done to
the least of these, you have done to me," Matthew 25:45. In our society
teens could be considered the least of these. They look weird. They
dress weird. They think differently. They have no respect for
authority. Or so we believe. But hasn't the same thing been said of
every generation ... including mine and yours?
Tuesday, between
classes, I had a chance to sit down and chat with a multi-pierced girl.
She was formerly from California, too. We talked about Montana, the
weather, and about going to a new school. She was interesting and kind.
If I had more time I would have enjoyed taking her out for coffee just
to hear her heart.
That night, after all the classes were over,
after I shuttled my daughter to guitar lessons/basketball practice,
after I had touched base with my friend Kristen on the phone, and after
I'd taken my 13-year-old Christmas shopping at the only place he could
afford (The $1 Store), I was pushing my cart mindlessly through Target
on my way to get milk (and something that I could throw into the oven
for dinner) when a voice broke through my fog.
"Hi!" It was a teenage boy with a big wave. "Remember me? I met you at school today."
I
did remember him ... a face in a classroom out of six classrooms, yet
also a cool kid I'm sure I would also enjoy getting to know if I had a
chance.
So, what did all of this have to do with anything? INFLUENCE ... and taking the time to be one and give some.
You never know what difference you'll make to a friendly boy, a multi-pierced girl, and everyone in between.
1
Corinthians 16:8 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make
known among the nations what he has done.” ... Or make it known at your
local high school.
