In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.

Matthew 7:12, NIV (1978)

For nearly 30 years now, our youth group has been taking care of our widow's lawns on each Monday night during the summer. This has had a multitude of benefits, from saving our sweet ladies lawncare money to helping close the age gap between these two groups. It has without a doubt been one of the best areas of service that I have had the privilege of witnessing over the years, for it has taught our young people a valuable lesson in the need for helping others who could use a helping hand.

But this year, something so unusual and so impressive happened that I thought it would be of interest to some in our little town. Part way into the summer, I got a call from our head football coach at the high school. He was aware of what our teens had been doing, and he was wondering if some of the young men from the football team could take part. Now, I have to tell you that this was an impressive request, but it was what he went on to say that made the deepest impression.

He said that ever since he had been in Happy, that the community had given the team incredible support, and he was wanting an opportunity to let these young men provide the community some support of their own in return. Without putting it in so many words, he believed that this would teach his young men the "Golden Rule" of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

So, a little over a month ago he sent out a text letting the team know of this opportunity to "give back" to the community that had given them so much support over the years. He let them know that this was entirely voluntary, but here was a chance for them to serve in a needed area if they would like to. It was completely up to them, of course, so they were under no obligation or pressure to do so. 

The first week, we had about seven show up. Four of them had already been coming all summer since they were part of our youth group, but it was great to have the extra help. The next week we had another three or four come to help, plus the coach and assistant coach. We had so much extra manpower that we finished the work of cleaning up several of the vacant lots that I had thought would take the whole summer.

These vacant lots were filled with junk and debris that were overwhelming some of our older members. They would likely have received a fine that they could not easily afford to get rid of items that were far too heavy for them to move on their own. Since our youth group had grown so large, I had asked them if they could use some assistance in getting these lots cleared off. They were delighted to accept, and I thought that I had more than enough work for our teens to take them through the summer. But, with the help of those hard-working football boys, we got the lots cleaned up in a couple of weeks. I actually had to contact the city and ask them if we could clean up another vacant property that had been an eyesore and health hazard for many years.

They jumped at the chance! Last week they brought in two trailers - one with a huge, roll off dumpster, and another for branches. The boys (now about 15 to 20 strong) filled these two trailers in about an hour and a half, and two more are being brought in this week. By next week when the mowing and cleanup comes to an end for the summer, we should have a property that has been an overgrown mess for over twenty years completely cleaned up.

It is hard to overstate the importance of this simple lesson that a wise coach has taught. Giving back to a community that has given the team so much is a wonderful thing. It has taught the boys an appreciation for the support that has been given to them. It has taught them that they can help out people who are desperately in need of that help. It has taught them that they have an obligation to help make the town that they live in a better place. In short, it has taught them that instead of just taking what a community has to offer, that they can do something valuable in return.

It has taught them that it is more blessed to give than to receive!

And they have done all of this in an unselfish way with unusually pleasant attitudes. I have heard a lot of laughter this summer, and I have seen a tremendous amount of teamwork as they have struggled and sweated as they have lifted literally tons of debris into dumpsters to be hauled away. And through all of this, I have yet to hear a single bad word, nor have I heard any words of complaint. The parents of these young men should be proud, as should the entire town.

Happy is fortunate to have the type of coaches that we do! I have thought that for many years now, but never so much as I have during this particular summer, when a head coach decided that it was time to give his kids an opportunity to give back. It is a life lesson that will serve them well!