Devotion

Junior high students from the western half of Iowa gather every year to worship and fellowship together as a part of the Iowa District West Junior High Gathering. Themes are always based on reemphasizing what is taught in confirmation instruction. This last year the theme was “Living Under Water” focusing on our baptism.

One of the sectionals at the gathering related putting on the armor of God, as mentioned in Ephesians, to baptism. A skit was performed that involved a girl going shopping for the armor, but ending up in a store owned by satan. Instead of getting her armor, she was talked in to items much more popular, practical, and fashionable. When it came to her asking for the Sword of the Spirit (Word of God) she was told that swords are much too bloody and that she instead needed the tie tack of tolerance….which was much more fashionable.

As I looked around at seven hundred plus junior high students, I couldn’t help but notice how important fashion was to them. I asked myself if they understood the difference between Blood and fashion. Here is our young people of our church who are going through a process by which the church allows them to stand on their own feet and publicly acknowledge and accept the baptism offered to them as infants. And it really is about Blood, not fashion. They are being prepared to go to the Eucharist, to take part in the sacrament of Holy Communion, and join their brothers and sisters in Christ in receiving the blessings of the Blood that was shed for our sins. We are daily fighting the temptations that satan offers us that appear to be very attractive on the outside. There could not be a more appropriate example of modern living for all of us than that of choosing between Blood or fashion.

William Hiskey

Director of Youth Ministries, First English Lutheran, Spencer IA

Updated: 10-29-02