Empowering Our Youth Today

In John 4 verses 1 – 21, we can read the story of Jesus and his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. This colloquy between a male Jew and a female Samaritan eventually ended as a moment of conversion more than just a conversation. What seemed to be a moment of disparity in the beginning became a moment of discipleship in the end. I think it is power of Jesus who turned the water into wine and turning sinners into saints that can make it all possible.

I have to confess that John 4 is one of my favorite Gospel periscope. Jesus was made famous by his first miracle of turning water into wine and now here he is, asking for water from a notarized sinful woman. It is a puzzle to many why she would fetch water from the well in the middle of the sun. Most women fill their jars at dusk. It is pretty obvious that she’s trying to avoid the company of other women. She is a subject of gossip and lascivious issues from among the residences of the neighborhood. The woman is a nobody. She doesn’t have a name. Jesus does. Jesus is also the content of the news around the town but it is of well dignified matter. She was a subject of gossip. Jesus is a man, she is a woman. Jesus is a Jew, she is not. Jesus is sinless, she is a sinner. Jesus is powerful, she is powerless. But in this particular moment in their crossroad lives, the tables were turned. Jesus is thirsty and she has a jar.

Jesus, the most powerful man to ever walk in the planet was asking for water to drink. She is not about to give him either. She is contained by the stereotype. She cannot reconcile what was happening. Her mind is telling her that this act is a no-no yet her heart feels pride in the fact that a man from the clean region of Judah is asking her for water. She’s taking pride of the jar she was holding. Her refusal paved a way for Jesus to strike a conversation…the conversation that will lead to her conversion. Jesus told her that if she only knew who it was who’s asking her for a drink she would be the one to ask for him something she might need. The woman still holding on and clinging to that one ace of card she had at her disposal to assert her once in a lifetime found power over a Jew made a sterling comment in question, are you greater than “our father” Jacob who made this well?

Jesus must have felt her. Jesus , upon hearing those words, wept deep inside in knowing that the woman was lost. She needs to move up. She wants to move up. Her entirety has been tortured by the sins from which the enemy has deceived her all this time. The enemy lured her into sensation. She was deceived that sensual pleasure is all that matters in her life forgetting about the other faculties that she has; her intellect, her freewill [to be used properly], her prayer life. All of these, were bonded into captivity for a very very long time and the absence made her the weak and evincible person that she is today. But Jesus came and felt all the pain. The absence of those faculties in her life made the void in her heart more than visible for Jesus to see. And Jesus came to fill the thirst in his stomach, yes. But more than that he came to fill the vacuum in her soul.

The conversation went on. It was long for the woman answered all Jesus’ statement with resistance. However, later in their dialogue things started to change in the favor of the Son of Man. The woman noticed that Jesus is different from everyone else she had seen in her life. She had been with a number of men. She slept with a number of men actually. She knew all their stories, their discrepancies. She knew their whims and their desires. She knew what they only wanted from her. Something they can get from her. This man, she noticed doesn’t need anything from her. He is full. He is complete. He is not even in need of the water from the well. He made her see that she was in need. This man, talking to her at the very instance is actually offering her something to give; The Word of eternal life. This Word which is by far more important than the water from the well. It made her exclaim, “I can sense that you are a prophet”, she knew that the Messiah will come and she asked herself if this could be the Messiah. After confirming her gut feel, she rushed to the neighborhood and told them about the man. She left her jar, the only object that provided her of temporal authority and went to the very community that she was trying to avoid all this time. Something has changed.
I like this story because Jesus offered us from here the exact methodology of life coaching. Life coaching is a transformative activity. It is not only transformative but it is progressive. It is not only progressive but it is affirmative. It should bring out the best out of the client who is being coached.

First of all Jesus “Entered” the territory of the woman. It is not invasion. Jesus did no trespass. Jesus was courteous. He asked for water. He knocked at her heart. He was waiting for her to give him something. Jesus did not coerced her to listen to his preaching. Jesus introduced himself gradually. Jesus “Entertained” her inquisitive mood. Jesus was not only giving her answers. Jesus was willing to listen. Jesus “Enjoyed” her company. They talked about the well, the water of life, and later would you believe, they talked about the place of worship. Jesus prophesied about the coming of digital age where people can worship in any place at any time because prayer tools will be accessible wherever they are. Jesus not only talked with the woman. He talked with sense. He was able to bring out the best of the woman’s knowledge about religion, something which the woman has never touched into conversation with her men before. He “Enlightened” the woman. After everything was said, the life coach must not only be a compassionate listener, the life coach is also a person who enlightens the patient or the client about the circumstances of life and the consequences of one’s actions. Jesus made her know about her own life. Jesus provided her a mirror to reflect on things that she had been doing. The woman realized that she was captive of her own desires for many years. Jesus showed her that there are better things than the pleasure that can give her, a life with a purpose is something more worthwhile. Lastly, Jesus “Empowered” the woman. Jesus did not only educate her about the truth. Jesus allowed her to share the truth. At once, she left her jar and went to the town and told them about Jesus. Jesus preached in Samaria, a place that doesn’t accept native Jews, because a new persistent disciple helped open their doors to him.

Living a life for Jesus doesn’t end in knowing who Jesus was. It doesn’t end in entertaining Jesus into one’s life and family. It doesn’t end enjoying the stories of the Bible or the services and fellowship. It doesn’t end in holding a doctorate degree in theology or in biblical studies. The life of a disciple for Jesus must continue to grow into full maturity by taking on the mission of Christ. It is essential to know that Jesus empowers all the believers so that we can also share his love to others. In doing so, we leave the things that may impede our performance of the mission. Early in our ministerial life, we are asked to identify which among the things in our lives are the jars that we need to leave. Those we keep on clinging to because we feel that they give us power and authority. For some, it is the worry and anxiety about financial or medical issues. Leave that. For some, it is the rituals and traditions of long time ago which we are trying to preserve out of identity and customary. For some, it can be persons we can’t let go because of the pleasure and luxury they can provide us with. Jesus already empowered us and by empowering us it means that we won’t need anything to hold on for authority and power. We need to remember that Jesus is powerful. He liberated the Samaritan woman from the captivity of the enemy. He turned sinners into saints by his words alone. Life coaches and Christian mentors are also called to empower people.

Christian Life Coaches and Youth Empowerment

I have learned that power must be found. Sometimes, like wind, it is already there but cannot be noticed by our naked eyes. Many people are captives of culture, political regimes, frame of mind, and sometimes even by religion. Many are in wrong conceptions and in need of somebody to correct their information about themselves. Unfortunately, the largest number of people who are profaned by their surroundings and wrong understandings of life are the youth.

In some places, the youth are illiterate and uneducated. Still in some other places, the youth are misrepresented and misinformed, others are malnourished and neglected. In some rural areas, the children ages 10 and above are sold to slavery, abused, and even oppressed. Their weaknesses are being taken advantage of by some cruel and uncaring adults. The youth need to be empowered. Holistic Mentoring program is a system that is patterned after the growth of Christ as a human person. It is also anchored on the precept of God in his first commandment which is a love that requires the totality of the human person. To love the Lord with one’s whole heart, mind, soul, and strength means that the person is in complete consonance with all aspects of human life. No area of human personality must be neglected. Wherefore, mentors are called to empower the disciples being mentored. The youth particularly must be empowered to carry on the call of commissioning.

It is easy to understand why mentors need to be empowering. For so many years, it has been evident to the world how devastating the effect of disempowerment to the youth is to small scale communities and even to large scale countries. Victims of abuses have remained silent and continued to live lives in depression. There were instances when juvenile delinquencies have resulted to hate crimes and many mistreated adolescent even committed suicide. Living a life with no direction is simply a result of improper guidance and lack of empowerment. Youth must first be empowered before they learn to use power. By power we mean authority and freedom to do something independently. The question now is how mentors empower the youth.

We always follow the 3Ds of mentoring pattern. I have always told co-mentors that there are only three things that every mentors do whether in sports, music, or in family life. First, mentors find the Design. This is the level of mentoring where the mentor learns the personality and strength of the mentee/shadow. It will be easier for every mentor to empower their students if they know where the power lies. Potential came from the Latin word “potentia” which means power. Second, every mentor needs to show the Direction to their students. This is the level of mentoring where the mentor lays the ultimate blueprint of their students’ future. Lastly, mentors assist their students in reaching their Destination. It is the level of mentoring where the mentor’s give delegation of tasks, advices for the betterment of vision, and provide necessary ethical help to ensure that the student maintains the right path. This is empowerment in toto. Three Ds to remember; Design, Direction, and Destination.

We Christian mentors need to believe in our students and mentees. It is the love and the faith provided by their mentors that fully awakens the power within them. Until the time that we are sure they are ready to handle their power by themselves, mentors must remain the best supporters that guide and lifts their mentees’ internal stamina.

Welcome New Year of My Life

The entire Chinese community welcomed the Lunar New Year last Monday and together with them my friends and I culminated my entry to the 29th year. It is a celebration of welcoming a new year for my life.

Actually, the celebration is of two parts. First was done in Laguna where most of my old friends are residing and the second part we celebrated at the CCP Complex my third home.

These are some of the photos taken last Monday during my 29th birthday party. Attended by two of the closest couples to me, Aizee and Fericka with Mac and Vien, are my most special guests during that day. It was actually the happiest of 2016 so far.