Many of us are raised in environments where love and pride are withheld as a type of motivation. The logic is that if we show our excitement or pride in progress towards a goal that we’ll keep someone from arriving. Yet in the work of ministry the goal is an unattainable righteousness. Yet in this powerful video a 17-year-old, Aria Shahrokhshahi, raised his grade from an “F” to a passing grade of a “C”.
The video starts with Aria hiding a camera to film his fathers reaction to the news. The response he gets is nothing short of inspiring. While a “C” is still far from perfection, his father is overjoyed and as a viewer I find myself proud of Aria because of his fathers reaction.
This is a part of a personal journey I am on, of learning to celebrate the movements of life – not just the destinations. As you watch the video above think about how your community might better celebrate the movements towards God that occur. There are many reasons to rejoice and celebrate if we would only see them.
One of the goals we have with Fresh Vine is to make it easier to see these moments. As a campus pastor I was able to use our Church Software to celebrate with a small group leader. By checking their attendance I noticed that a person who the group leader and I had been praying would attend had actually done just that. The phone call to the group leader was one of the highlights of my year and proved as a powerful step forward for her as well.
In a world that demands so much of us, is filled with so much uncertainty and doubt it just might be our excitement for Life that shows God’s compassion, love, and hope most clearly.
