Shoes on a wire

We passed this in Tofino on the weekend and I had an almost an out of body experience, except not.

I'm not sure how this is going to look on the blog, but it's shoes on a wire.

I remember reading an article in the 1990s that shoes on a wire was an indication of where a "drive by shooting" had happened.  The drive-bys were becoming blase and gang members were realizing that police weren't showing up quickly so they would stop take off the shoes and huck them into the wires.  Thus, marking where a death occurred.

By the time I lead the first team to New York in 2002, it was a little common knowledge.  Then, like most things in our weird North American Society, it morphed. 

It then was a notification of a destination, it advertised that this is a place to buy crack.

Weird.

So, while walking through the "Tough City Skate Park" I caught a sight of shoes on a wire.

Then, it hit me.  How something can mean so much and have some meaning, even a memorial can turn into this.  A free-for-all.

It made me think about things that I hold dear to my heart.  Of course, my thoughts turned to the eternal.  Church, relationship with God.  Things that were precious, special, had meaning, memory or ear marked a place....that now, it doesn't mean anything but we all are doing the same thing now...You threw up your shoes on the wire, so will I!  You raise your hands at this time, in this song, so will I!  You give money to the church, so will I!

It could go on and on.

My heart turned immediately to youth.  Wednesday night Glow Youth to be precise.  I was thinking about the time when someone thought, hey, lets give the teens their own church time, they can have their own music, and whatever else is for their generation.  Not to say, hey don't come to church with us, but do your own thing.

Then a following happens.  I've seen people judge a church based on if they have a good youth program or not.  If you do, they hoist their shoes on the wire along side yours.  And it can become rote.  We do it this way because we've always done it this way.

So, my question is, is it effective?  Is it what the heart of the "inventor" of youth wanted?

I don't want to do it if it's just what has always been done.  I so long for and crave God to move.  

Walking through the park I thought of a song I haven't heard in a long time.  Come like you promised.  It would just be so easy to be in Your presence all the time....life would be so easy.  Why do we have to make things so complicated?

Come like you promised