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"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent. " John Donne

"L.O.S.T you, seriously (where L.O.S.T stands for Left-Out Syndrome Totals)" Tham Yong Quan

May seem very optimistic and stuff, but I beg to differ at some point.

Yes, it is quite true that almost no one can survive without friends/family unless you are Batman or something. When you get left out, it is never a nice scenario. Even in church too, unfortunately.

Due to my limited knowledge and stuff, the things I say here are fully my opinion, and may not be reliable.

Yesterday, during the CG Leader meeting in church, Pastor made an appeal for us all to call and reach out to the M.I.As (the long time absentees). At that point, I started to think. Why would people join a church and get very active, but for some unknown reason drops out and isolates himself/herself?

I guess it could be the reason of friends. Friends are important now in our teenage years. We look up to friends. We want friends to be there for us (and of course be there for them when they need us). We look forward to outings with friends, so that you can take a break from work and also chill out with your buddies. Even in school, your friends can help you in homework, or even goof off together... =D (right, Jianhan?)

Yes, sometimes parents do not allow their child to go for youth service (due to some "scandal"... not too sure what exactly is the problem anyway). However, I believe one of the main reasons for their absence is that they feel they got no friends there. Maybe it's some politics and stuff, or perhaps people got their own cliques and stragglers can find no way to join in.

I myself too... sometimes experience this. I was in Sec 2... if I can still remember clearly. Yeah, I had no one to talk to, no clique, just... no one. I was like... "Why am I even here? Look, everyone is having such a fun time with each other. And you sit here like an idiot." In Sec 2, when I did not need to play for service (at that time, I only played once a month... and I dreaded it at that point of time, because I was pressured by my parents to join... but that's another story altogether.), I would just skip service and not go.

Anyway, during the CG Leader meeting, while Janahan was asking a question, I also wanted to voice out this point about the lack of friendship and how it leads to L.O.S, but I was... (plainly speaking) too chicken to actually say this... I was afraid I was barking up the wrong tree, so I did not say anything. Honestly, I was scared to say something at all. I asked Josh later about my thoughts, but was still a little disturbed by this even till now.

Even sometimes throught from then till now... this inferiority complex just settles in. Maybe its just me, but when I look at photos of others on Facebook, I just wonder... "What am I doing in my life? Am I also getting the L.O.S?"

And when I let my mind wander...
"Why am I the outcast?"
"Must I do something to join in the clique?"
"Will the clique even accept me?"
and etc.

From my P.O.V (point of view), just in the Yoof Ministry itself, you could easily see at least 4 clique groups. Not saying that I am a misfit, and that I want attention or what crap, but I think it might be deadly.

(As mentioned above, these are my opinions)

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"Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in face God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part of the body rejoices with it."

1 Corinthians 12:14-26

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Paul puts it aptly. In the church, there cannot be divisions. You might have bad thoughts about a person in the Youth Min before, I would not know, but G.N.A.T (God 'Noes All Things, another weird acronym by ME). (I know I did... God, forgive me) Do we have the rights to cast someone out, to leave someone out because of superficial reasons such as academic levels, looks, way of speech etc.?

Also, to those that feel that they do not belong to the Youth Min and you are reading this, take heart. In any church, without even one member, the church will not be complete. God placed you into this church for a purpose, and that you would work your spiritual gift with others and do things for God, like bringing friends to church, or becoming a CG Leader etc. Your reason for not coming to church, I do not know (and I do not need to know). However, I urge you to ask God, to seek God about this. Remember that if you happen to be left out for whatsoever reason, REMEMBER that God loves it that you are there in the first place, and He will start to work things out for the better, both for you and others. =)

Smile, ok?

That's why, I am in full support for the Hospitality Representive initiative by Jessica and the Love Culture. =)

I'll see you guys this Saturday!... oh wait, SHUCKS I got to go for the Cultural Night for my school... Ahh well, I'll see you guys soon! =)

Labels: Emotional, Youth