26 July | Youth
«You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men.» 2 Corinthians 3:2
We do not always notice that we are being observed. However, nowadays, with cameras and cell phones everywhere, it is difficult to go unnoticed. My wife, Nainde, understood this at a Pathfinders Club camp. We went away from the city and set up tents on brother John's farm, in the countryside of the state of São Paulo. Just before breaking down camp, a neighbor appeared asking to speak to her. Her first thought was: “Here comes some complaints! This man is going to whine about the noise we made here during activities with the Pathfinders.”
There was no other option but to talk to him. With a cordial attitude, however, he said from the start: “I need a magic whistle like yours!” My wife did not understand. Faced with her perplexity, the man added: “That whistle of yours works wonders: you blow the whistle, and the boys come running. You blow the whistle again, and they are gone. I wish I had a whistle like that. Then my mother-in-law, my children, my wife, everyone would help me!” They both laughed. They knew that no matter how much authority someone has, they can never totally control another person's behavior. They also knew that what we do and what we are, sooner or later, speaks so loudly that everyone can hear.
The neighbor said that he worked as a police officer and that he often took young offenders the same age as those pathfinders to detention centers. He sighed with a sad look and exclaimed: “If only all young people had the opportunity to join a club like yours!” After hearing many words of encouragement, my wife practically levitated! The things that man said to her were a balm, not to mention the enormous progress that the pathfinders made in terms of behavior, sociability and team spirit during that weekend.
Have you ever stopped to notice who is watching you? What example are you setting? Do your attitudes bear witness that you are a Christian, that you follow higher ideals and a divine Model? When the leadership that God has placed in your life (parents, elders, pastors, teachers) guides or directs you, do you respect and obey them? Remember that, through your actions and attitudes, the world around you will be able to identify who is the master of your life.