By John Gocke

“I wish I hadn’t said that” kept echoing through my mind. I had my first ever part-time job as a youth director. I was in college, trying to do a weekly Bible study with a small group of mostly junior high boys. Every week, they apparently had a contest to see who could act the most immature. This week’s winner was playing tag in the youth meeting room and tripped over his own sagging pants. To make matters worse, he fell right in front of the only girl who was brave enough to come on Wednesday nights. And worse yet, his fall exposed his undergarments to her. She had had enough and stormed out—never to return. I, too, had had enough and called him a name descriptive of his behavior. Then time stood still, as a dozen boys stared at me with gaping jaws. “I wish I hadn’t said that.”

²⁵ But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. ²⁶ Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” ²⁷ He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— ²⁸ for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” ²⁹ Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” ³⁰ He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” ³¹ He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:25-31, NRSV)

We have all fantasized about going back in time and fixing mistakes that we have made. I have heard people say that they would like to go back in time and

· Make better grades in school
· Go to a better college
· Not date at all or not date certain people
· Tell certain people off/tell certain people that he or she loves them
· Go after different academic degrees or career paths
· Redo certain pivotal life periods and events

Russian philosopher P.D. Ouspensky wrote a book entitled The Strange Life of Ivan Osokin, in which the character is so miserable with all of the bad decisions he has made in life that he can’t go on. He employs a magician to send him back in time to when he was 14 years old to relive and rectify his life. He found himself making all of the same mistakes over again, because mere foreknowledge of his life did not give him the strength of character to change his life. (By the way, this obscure book inspired the movie Groundhog Day.)

Jesus told the story of the rich man who ignored the plight of the beggar Lazarus . It shows us that even if we went back in time to try to fix our lives or the lives of others, it would do no good. We must listen to the word of God now to solve our problems.

Reliving your life or even knowing the future is not enough to solve our shortcomings and insecurities. Trusting the Lord to give us the grace we need is the only way to live; it keeps us away from the misery of the “I should’ve” from the past and from the dread of the future.

That Wednesday with those youth is one I would like to erase, but it was an experience that God used to mold me into a more self-controlled person. It was hard then to see the big picture of God bringing events into my life as part of a plan to forge from me a better me.

Do we have the courage to live with our past and be a better person today? If you had a time machine, would you use it, or would you trust that God is working in your life despite and through your mistakes?

²⁸ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! (Luke 12:28, NRSV)

John Gocke is a veteran of youth ministry, having worked in various churches in Southern California and for Al Menconi Ministries, based in Carlsbad, California. John holds an MA in Theology from Point Loma Nazarene University and currently works on the staff of www.ileadyouth.com.

Other articles by John Gocke:
Eleven Signs of a Successful Youth Minister.
Dealing with sharing your office.
Christian Pirates?
Saying what you really think!
Cures for the Summertime Attendance Slump
Going Back in Time
The Epic Struggle Between Youth Pastors and Senior Pastors
You and Conan the Barbarian
A King Josiah-Kind of Christian
Fantasizing About Violence: Violent Video Games Promote Aggressive Behavior In Youth
Chico the Roach
Are you a Batman or Superman Christian?
Ten Skills They Don’t Teach You in Seminary
Teach your youth grace-not just mercy this Christmas
Five reasons you should encourage your youth to experience Christian music
Secular prophets in the business world and their lessons for us
Hollywood Secrets for Your Next Youth Meeting

Brought to you by your youth ministry colleagues at Cokesbury.

Would you like to submit your own article? Click here for our online form.