In my work with college-age students I am finding myself more and more frustrated with how these young people chose to live their young lives, and the outlooks they have of them...
First, there is this freshmen in college, actually, she has not even had one day in college yet, and she thinks that she is Miss Independent. This is hilarious to me because her parents are 100% footing her college bill right down to her newly purchased dorm room shower curtain. I am sorry. But you are not at all, any sort, of independent, if your parents financial support your every move. You are still a child. You are still under the rules and regulations of your parents. Regardless if you are living under their roof anymore or not. Period.
Second, there is this sophomore in college who still has yet to find a part-time job after allegedly looking for over a year now. This person takes only 2 classes per semester, so 8 hours a week of in-class time. What does this person do the rest of the week? Today, this person visited me and was complaining about how difficult it is to find a job. And I asked - well, did you apply here? The answer - well, no because I refuse to work there because of the way their employees are treated, I saw the documentary. Ok, I responded, so did you apply at this place then? The answer - you guessed it, well no, because I don't want to work with shredded cheese (ACTUALLY answer might I add).
And finally, there is this other sophomore in college who still has yet to learn to let go and move on. The person's home life seems to have been shot from the get-go, but yet this person still lives at home and deals with the people that bring such drama into his life. And it seems that every other week he has moved out of his house because of reoccurring issues at home. So how do you help someone that doesn't help themselves? The very first time this person decided to move out, I helped him find a place to live. I gave him money to get by on until he could find a job. But that didn't work. He found an excuse to move back home - the very next week. Gave all the money to his family in the house he moved out of. And stopped looking for a job to instead work for free in the home, doing childcare for the younger siblings and running errands. And now this person has moved out again. No where to go. No money. No job.
At this point, I should just throw up my hands and say I quit.
That would probably really make me happy actually.
But then I remember how Jesus told us to forgive our neighbor 77 times. And if you read that scripture closely, it isn't 77 times in a lifetime. It is 77 times in the SAME day for the SAME offense. That's perfect love right there folks.
So no. I won't quit.
I won't give up.
And even when I feel frustrated and mad and upset over all these different situations I encounter, I will keep chugging along as Jesus would ask me to.
I should not get upset over something that I cannot control. And from lessons learned, I definitely cannot control this!
But you know who can?
Yup. God. God can handle all these situations. And he understands my frustrations too, I am sure.
So I will take comfort in knowing that God once again has my back. And that I was not placed here on earth to solve all the problems. Jesus was.
All I have to do now is show compassion for his people, and try to stay composed while doing it.
