Perhaps the most difficult thing about being a teenager is realizing that humanity is not as good as we thought it to be.
As we grow older, we begin to realize that repairing broken relationships is not as simple as it was when we were younger. People hold grudges, take revenge, and, if they are really mad, even plot evil against others. If you’ve ever experienced betrayal or bullying by a friend, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The high-school years can be one of the cruelest, most difficult times of one’s life. And with the introduction of social media, peer pressure, and cyberbullying, people’s control tactics have gotten even worse.
There seems to be no end to the evil we see, and it just keeps growing. We begin to feel as if this evil is just the natural order of mankind and that we will always have wickedness in our world. “That’s just the way people are” is an idea we’ve all given in to.
Eventually, we start to feel hopeless as if no matter how hard we try, we can never change things. The world is bad, and people are bad; this has become the natural order. The only people who can truly change the evil in our world are those with power: politicians, celebrities, or large organizations. We tend to think that the power we have as individuals is rarely enough to make a change that might affect someone’s life.
However, this is incorrect. Evil is not the intended order of things. What we see around us is something that we as disciples of Yeshua are called to change.
Bringing the Kingdom
Yeshua told his disciples to pray “Your kingdom come,” but at the same time, he also told them that the kingdom was “at hand.” This seems contradictory. How are we to bring the kingdom if the kingdom is already at hand? How can the kingdom be at hand with so much evil still left in the world? And what are we supposed to do in our everyday lives to bring the kingdom?
The answer is simple: We must bear the fruit ourselves.
We must work to remove evil from the world. We bear the task of bringing the kingdom to earth by bearing the responsibility of repairing this world. And we must move into action to radically take over the world as disciples of the one true King. It is our job to bring the kingdom by not only living godly lives but by actively participating in good deeds. We must model the kingdom for all the world to see, having hope and a vision for the future day but in the meantime getting out there and pushing goodness into the world.
How Are We Going to Do This?
12-21 is working to create a movement of young people who have centered their lives on doing good deeds—people who have chosen not to fall into the despair of evil but instead live lives centered on bringing the kingdom. We are visiting the sick, honoring the elderly, cleaning up the streets, sending friendly messages to one another, studying the Bible together, standing up for the humane treatment of animals, raising a voice against human trafficking, and doing many other good deeds.
We want to choose goodness over evil, pure speech over gossip, a friendly smile over a cold shoulder, an encouraging word over a disparaging one, an afternoon helping the homeless instead of an afternoon watching Netflix, bringing joy and happiness into lives by visiting an elderly home instead of sitting with our phones mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. We want to reach out to the kids we never talk to instead of trying to maintain the longest streak on Snapchat. We want to be a movement of kids who radically change our world and repair it by acts of goodness and Tikkun Olam.
Camp Tzadi 2019
This summer at Camp Tzadi we will explore exactly what Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) means and how we can make a difference. We will learn how to bring the kingdom of God together by inspiring 12-21 teens to take on this radical call of repairing the world. We will introduce a new and exciting year-long program for our teens to participate in, and we will learn how the everyday small things in our lives can build and usher in the kingdom of God.
You may feel too young or inadequate to bring change, but we have a God who believes in us, and together as a movement of young people, we can make this a reality.
Join us this summer as we catch the fire and get inspired to reverse the natural order by preparing the earth for Messiah’s return and the kingdom of heaven. We’re on a mission, and we won’t stop until the kingdom comes. You are a part of that; we are a part of that, and together we will become an unstoppable force.
In addition to diving into this great mission together at camp, we will also have a lot of fun with things like high ropes, river games, swimming, outdoor activities, hikes, sports, camping, and, of course, our annual Israel day! You will leave camp completely changed and excited to build the kingdom with a community that will now be yours—a group of young people dedicated to serving God and bringing goodness into this world.
No Longer a Teen?
No longer a teen? That’s okay! Camp Tzadi is also looking for young adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five to serve in counselor positions. We are looking for individuals who have attached themselves to Messianic Judaism and want to build the kingdom by investing in the next generation. If you enjoy the outdoors, work well with others, and want to learn more about your faith while meeting like-minded young people, please contact us today! We are building a community, and we can’t wait to welcome you!
Camp Tzadi 2019 will be held in Rolla, Missouri, July 3-16. Click here for more information! We’ll be looking to fill next year’s roster soon.
Get ready to change the world by seeking the kingdom of God and bringing it closer through good deeds. Every day. Everywhere.
Source: First Fruits of Zion
