Big Brother

Mondays w/ Michael 1.5

Last week I talked about The One Factor. One person, one action, can affect thousands. Today, I'm giving you the opportunity to make an impact. Next Friday I will be participating in Bowl for Kids Sake at the Bluffton Bowling Center. It's a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. I've been involved with BBBS for a number of years. I started as a Lunch Buddy for Sterling. Once a week during the school year, I would go eat lunch with him. After lunch I would go out to recess or help him with homework or study for a test. More recently, I've been in a One-on-One match with Chase. We would get together a couple times a month and go bowling or fishing or just go out to eat. Even though it was only 1 lunch break a week with Sterling, or fishing with Chase, I hope that I was able to be a positive male influence in these boys' lives.

I know some people are hesitant to help BBBS. But here are some facts:

-46% of Littles are less likely to begin using illegal drugs

-52% are less likely to skip school

-27% are less likely to begin drinking

Allow me to share a personal story with you. I had been a Lunch Buddy to Sterling for a couple of years. BBBS was in desperate need of mentors. So they changed one of their policies. They began allowing homosexuals to be mentors. I was outraged. Several other brothers were also Lunch Buddies at the time. Some of us wrote letters to BBBS demanding that they change their policy. They didn't, so we dropped out of the program. We couldn't support an organization that would allow a homosexual man to be a mentor to a young boy in need of a father figure. Sometime later (as I was thinking about becoming a Big Brother), God revealed something to me. No organization is perfect. My job isn't perfect. But that doesn't mean that I am constantly searching for the perfect place to work. My church isn't perfect. But that doesn't mean I try out new churches every Sunday until I find one that is. Just because whatever you are involved in isn't perfect doesn't mean you should drop out. Quitting doesn't make anything better. The only way to improve your imperfect job or your imperfect church is from the inside. Get involved. Get your hands dirty. Me dropping out of BBBS didn't do anyone any good. The only way I could make a difference was by getting involved.

I shared this with Vince Pfister who is also a Big Brother (and the captain of our bowling team). He had a similar struggle until he had the following revelation. If he didn't become a Big Brother, someone else would. Someone will step up to the plate and be a mentor to those kids. The problem is, we have no control over who that someone is. That person may be an atheist or a homosexual. Because BBBS allows homosexuals doesn't mean that we should drop out. Now more than ever, Christians should be getting involved.

Well, enough of this. If you would like to sponsor me in the Bowl for Kids Sake, here is the website: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=291433&lis=1&kntae291433=DD41BB90C6B54C8394558211AFA29F98&supId=205531938

All I'm asking for is a few dollars, but if you would like to do more than that: become a Big Brother/Big Sister. There are hundreds of kids in the area who are in need of a mentor. Still not enough? Ok, if you want to do more than that, become a foster parent. There are over 500,000 children in the United States foster care. Still not enough? Ok, adopt. There are 143,000,000 orphans in the world today.

The point is this: There are children in need. There are many ways you can help.

Make it a great Monday!