We have asked for the fringes, the edges of young people's lives and that is what we get, the fringes. They are waiting for us to ask for the core of their life!

As I have been ruminating on my experience and learnings at the Church of the Resurrection's Leadership Institute, the above statement from Jim Wallis is really resonating with me. Why are we afraid to ask for the core of young people's lives? Jesus certainly was not afraid to ask for that. Luke 9:51-62 is a great example of Jesus asking for the core of our lives. Or Jesus telling the rich, young ruler, “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

My prayer is that I will be bold enough in my encounters with young people to ask for the core of their lives. I pray that those of us who are "old" will challenge young people to give their core to Jesus and follow him with all they have.