Do spiritual things excite you?
Does anything excite you?
If you’re a boring fuddy-dud, nothing is exciting to you. Nothing’s fun. Nothing’s thrilling.
It’s like some teens don’t like to show that they know how to have a good time with anything. It’s like laughing is a sign of weakness or childishness, to them. It’s like they’re better than everyone else, and everyone who’s having fun is an idiot.
What’s with those people?! Man! Downers!
I’m glad we know how to have a good time. I’m glad the Teens of Faith isn’t full of a bunch of downers.
Fun is what you make it. Boring people get bored.
Let me say that again… or at least make you read it again: Fun is what you make it. Boring people get bored.
The downers in life suck the energy out of a room. They’re depressing. They’re sad. They don’t contribute. They make things awkward… almost on purpose, it seems!
These are all symptoms of a bad attitude… NOT a personality type. Introverted people CAN have fun along with a crowd of people. Extroverted people feed off a crowd’s energy and love being around people. Introverts would rather be left alone. I get that. I AM one of those!
But being introverted is not the same as being a downer. Being a downer is a result of a bad attitude… which you CAN control. Being an introvert is sort of hard-wired into your brain. You can change some things but not everything. Having a bad attitude is not part of “who you are.” A bad attitude is just you being a jerk. Don’t be that. Choose to not be a jerk. Choose to not have a bad attitude.
If you’re an introvert, make sure you’re not mislabeled as “arrogant, stuck up, a jerk, goody-two-shoes, aloof, doesn’t care, or WEIRDO!” How? By pushing yourself outside your comfort level and choosing to teach yourself to have fun in all types of circumstances. Fun is what you make it.
Don’t like youth activities? Fun is what you make it. Don’t like camp? It’s on you.
This IS spiritual. I’m not just rambling about personality types. If you can choose your attitude (you can!), choose to have a good attitude about ALL areas of life. Choose to be involved. Choose to not be a downer. Choose to encourage others. Choose to grow up.
“It’s so hard! I live in an extrovert’s world! They ALWAYS enjoy life and it seems like the youth ministry is all about catering to THEM—youth camp, youth activities, door-knocking, even CLASS each week is a gathering of… people! I can’t handle it. I’m an introvert!”
You’re just being selfish if you think like that. You’re focusing too much on yourself.
How much more do we preach on personal devotions—a daily quiet time of reading and personal reflection. No one is around. It’s quiet.
If you say, “daily quiet time of reading” to an extrovert, for some, it’s like you’re saying, “Daily ripping the skin off your eyelids and pouring in gravel.” Introverts thrive off of quiet time and reading. Extroverts thrive off of other people. Each needs to find balance.
You are probably a mix of both introverted and extroverted qualities. Life is give-and-take. In this case, we’re pushing camp and youth activities heavy because they can help you spiritually, even if they don’t exactly “fit” your comfort level. Make sense?
-Bro. Ryan