Improvise – to compose and perform or deliver without previous preparation
That’s what I had to do today. I was asked to lead a discussion in the high school youth group at a church this morning. We were just going to unpack the sermon, and all I thought I had to do was lead a discussion. I’ve done this time and again with a group of guys for years now. No problem!
One problem – no one wanted to talk this morning.
So my “discussion leading” had to shift to more of a “lesson teaching.”
I think I did ok – the kids all seemed to track with me for the most part. Here’s how it ended:
We got onto the topic of gifts. I asked what is the greatest gift you could be given right now and someone said a Jeep Wrangler. Cool. I ran with it.
God gives us gifts. We’ve been told to “give those gifts back to God.” I don’t want to. I want to keep my gift just like I want to keep the keys to that Wrangler. But I’m thinking about that all wrong!
God doesn’t want the keys back, he wants me to go to the store and pick up milk. He wants me to deliver dinner to a family in need. He wants me to drive my little brother to practice. He wants me to put my gifts to use!
I learned something from myself today. Sometimes a little improvisation can turn out beautifully.
Bradley Minnigan 