There's Hope in the Middle

by Desi Ash

I loved my middle school years. Glenwood Middle School and I got along really well. I was a talented athlete, decent musician, and a hard working student. I pretty much was friends with everyone.

What most people don’t know about me is; middle school was when my life got drastically harder and I desperately wanted someone to see past the outer shell I had built. By eighth grade online chatting was the coolest thing (remember AIM?) and it was behind a computer screen that my so called friends told me how they truly felt about me. Telling me how unloved I was, how messed up my family was, and even told me to go kill myself. That outer shell I built was so sturdy that regardless of what they said I acted like I was fine, yet deep down I was hurting. Deep down I felt hopeless.

Jr. High, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, those are hard years. Not only for the students living them, but for the parents parenting the students in this phase. Between the physical changes taking place in the body to the social challenges of being cool and fitting in, Jr High students and parents need to know there is hope.

There will be a time when:

• ·        Your sons don’t always smell bad
• ·        The grocery bill isn’t consistently growing
• ·        Your teenage daughter’s emotions are more stable
• ·        The drama settles down (well, eventually)

When I think of hope, I think of the two people on the road to Emmaus in the book of Luke. They are traveling away from Jerusalem talking about everything that just happened (Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection). While they are walking Jesus comes up and starts walking with them. Jesus asks them in Luke 24:17-24

            “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

Read verse 21 again: “but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” What have you hoped for? What have you hoped for for your jr high student?

These two people were so caught up in their feelings that they weren’t able to recognize who it was they were walking and talking with. And the same can happen during this Jr. high phase. We get so caught up in the drama, the emotions, and the challenging moments that we miss the bigger picture. We miss the moments were we are able to show our Jr Highers that someone cares about them and that they are able to make to a difference.

As Christians we have hope of what’s to come. John tells us in Revelation 21

            Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” ⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Don’t lose hope. God is making everything new.