
Honestly, by the last week of camp I also feel like a
casualty of war. Physically, emotionally, spiritually battered. Willing but
wasted. It was in this depleted and slightly irritable state, as I drove a
handful of weary junior counselors up from our last boy’s camp in southern
California, that I had a short and surprising conversation.
A month prior to this moment Bob Nass and I had spent half a
week training some pretty green counselors on the details of counseling boys.
At that point it seemed to them, as it always does prior to stepping onto the
field, that the task ahead would roll from one touchdown to another. Difficult
… yes, but smiles the whole way. But a month later the silence of exhaustion
was only softly broken by the periodic tapping of phones texting friends and
family back home, held in hands attached to bodies sprawled on the bench seats
of my van.
“Is it as frustrating for you to deal with us junior
counselors as it is for us to deal with campers?”
Hmmm … that had come out of nowhere. This kind of candid
self-reflection deserved an equally candid response. “Yes Matt. It can be
difficult … but it’s worth it.” I responded. “I love you guys and because of
that I don’t ignore where you are today, but I also don’t focus so much on
where you are today as much as where I see you heading. That encouraging
prospect gives me the hope that provides joy in the midst of what can sometimes
be very frustrating.” That was pretty much the end of the conversation but I
could see a thoughtful and satisfied look rest on his face as I glanced in the
rear view mirror. I hope he felt as encouraged as I did.
The fruit we see each summer in the lives of our counselors
is certainly worth a van defaced by months of ministry, and even a body wearied
by the task.
Wow! Non-fiction doesn't usually enthrall me, but this piece carried me all the way. And what a cool story!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of Matthew 9:37, keep up the good work!
Thanks Brandon!
ReplyDelete